Microsoft today released the XNA Game Studio 2.0, the next generation of its game development platform for Xbox 360 and Windows.

The new version builds upon XNA Game Studio Express, released one year ago, and includes the ability to create online, cross-platform multiplayer games for Xbox 360 and Windows using Xbox LIVE and Games for Windows ? LIVE, respectively. XNA Game Studio 2.0 adds more than 15 new features and is available for download from http://creators.xna.com.

"When building XNA Game Studio 2.0, we wanted to offer everyone the opportunity to utilize the rich gaming environment of LIVE used by AAA developers for titles such as 'Halo 3' and 'Gears of War," said Chris Satchell, general manager of the XNA organization at Microsoft. "We accomplished our goal with this new toolset, and, best of all, it remains highly accessible to students, hobbyists and pros alike."

Many of LIVE's best features are supported by XNA Game Studio 2.0 with minimal to no coding necessary to activate them - features such as matchmaking, which uses LIVE to find the best games for gamers to play based on their location and Internet connection. In addition, XNA Game Studio 2.0 supports game development with all versions of the Microsoft Visual Studio product line.