120104_apphub.jpgMicrosoft has issued a significant update to its App Hub developer standards, relaxing technical restrictions and easing product publishing for its Xbox Live Indie Games service.

The update increases the maximum file size for CCGAME bundles from its previous limit of 150 MB to 500 MB. In addition, XBLIG titles up to 150 MB may now be priced at 80 Microsoft points; previous standards required titles greater than 50 MB to be priced at either 240 or 400 Microsoft points.

Finally, XBLIG developers may now publish up to 20 games in total, up from a previous limit of ten. In the past, prolific XBLIG studios resorted to operating under new company names in order to bypass the old limit, recalling Konami's circumvention of Nintendo's publishing restrictions during the 8-bit era with sublabel Ultra Games.

[via @sdgames]