Xbox has made significant changes to its development process, making it easier for game developers to create games on the platform. With faster onboarding, public tools, and free backend services through PlayFab Foundation Mode, Xbox is now a more attractive option for developers.
Before, getting started with Xbox development took around 30 days. However, with Microsoft’s new tools and changes, developers can now set up a working environment in about 30 minutes. The process has been streamlined by automating paperwork and making documentation publicly available.
Xbox games now build as standard x64 projects, similar to PC development, reducing the complexity of the process. To help developers get started, Microsoft provides over 100 open-source examples showing how to integrate Xbox features into a game.
PlayFab Foundation Mode is a new offering that provides core services such as multiplayer lobbies, matchmaking, and leaderboards for free. This change aims to make it easier for developers to create games on Xbox without having to pay for the backend services.
With these changes, Xbox is becoming a more competitive option for developers, but some may still argue that 30% platform cut reduction is needed to make it even more appealing.
Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-just-wiped-out-most-of-the-excuses-game-developers-use-to-skip-the-platform