Xbox offers do-it-yourself games

Seattle PI | at | by Mike

On of the hottest online trends is to get people to create and contribute their own material -- things like reviews, photos and videos.

But will user-generated content work for video games? Microsoft plans to find out.

The company is coming out with a new software development program meant to let technology hobbyists, students and others with relatively basic skills create their own games for Windows and Xbox 360. The company is due to announce the program, XNA Game Studio Express, today at a Microsoft game conference in Seattle.