Video games are like what screenplays were in the last century: Everyone has an idea for one. (Mine combines monkeys, antigravity weapons and the puzzle game Sudoku.) But some amateurs are turning their ideas into virtual reality, thanks to Microsoft's XNA (which doesn't stand for anything) program. And now you can check out the results on Xbox Live's Community Games portal.
There are more than 60 home-brewed games now available. They cost about $2.50 a pop, although you can download a free demo of any game that piques your interest.
Marc Whitten, general manager for Xbox Live, says XNA offers young developers "a much lower barrier to entry" to the industry. He points to games like "Portal" and "Braid," two indie projects that became big hits.
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