Normally when a company restricts access for developers, it is seen as a negative.  While Microsoft is taking this approach for their mobile gaming platform on the new Windows Phone 7, it’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Anyone can develop any title they wish using the Windows Phone Developer Tools; there’s no obligation or requirement to use Xbox LIVE or other services in those titles. However, titles wishing to use Xbox LIVE services must have a relationship with Microsoft; if you’re interested in being considered for our portfolio (and use of Xbox LIVE services), you can mail wpgames@microsoft.com. If you’ve got the right stuff, we’ll hook you up!

I believe that this can only benefit the consumer in the end.  If these types of regulations aren’t in place, the marketplace will be flooded with unpolished and uninspired apps/games (see: Apple’s App Store).  This way it weeds out the bad games and keeps only the best of the best available to the masses.

This system actually mirrors the way they handle games on the Xbox 360 Live platform.  Xbox Live Arcade titles usually have a level of polish superior to those out under the Indie games section.  This isn’t saying that the Indie games are poor, far from it.  It’s just that when you have a professional studio of developers working on a title, compared to a small team, the results can have immense differences on the final product.  Having a managed portfolio just makes sense.

[Via Ozymandias]