Microsoft is passionate about indies, will reveal strategy "very soon", says Lionhead

Microsoft has remained quiet on the issue of Indie developers on Xbox One since the console was unveiled back in May, but Lionhead Studios' creative director Gary Carr has suggested that Phil Harrison - pictured - is gearing up to unveil his strategy on the matter "very soon", and that indies still remain important to the company.

Speaking with OXM, Carr suggested that Sony's former worldwide studios president Harrison - who is now heading up Microsoft's European developer relations - has plans when it comes to indies.

"Oh, I think you'll find he's coming," Carr said of Harrison's grand strategy. "His platform is very soon, don't you worry about that."

Carr added, "I certainly know that Microsoft want to talk at future press events about their relationships with indies. I can't really talk about that, but they're very passionate about building a strong relationship with indie development - indie development is the future.

"I've been an indie developer for 23 of my 28 year career, so I completely - there is no future to the games business without independent developers, they always will shape the industry, and the big corporations will follow," Carr went on. "So that relationship is important.

"I don't mind having the big players like the Sonys, the Microsofts, the Amazons. I think you need these big giants out there, they kind of hold it all together in some way, but the real driving force of the industry has always been independent development. That's what shapes and changes and creates innovation. I think they can coexist."

We already know that Xbox One will support Unity, and it was rumoured that Microsoft was set to announce self-publishing on the console last month, but it never happened. Could this be par tof Harrison's master plan? Let us know what you think below.