Free Game development environment

There are many open-source game engine already available. However, this is the first time Microsoft is serious about building a community of game developers. According to this post, 10 universities [in USA, I suupose] to add XNA Game Studio Express and Xbox 360 game development into their curricula starting this fall [Spring in Southern hemisphere]. For the rest of us,

XNA Game Studio Express will be available for free to anyone with a Windows® XP-based PC and will provide them with Microsoft’s next-generation platform for game development. By joining a “creators club” for an annual subscription fee of $99 (U.S.), users will be able to build, test and share their games on Xbox 360™ and access a wealth of materials to help speed the game development progress. This represents the first significant opportunity for novice developers to make a console game without a significant investment in resources.

[snip]

The XNA Game Studio Express beta will be available Aug. 30, 2006, as a free download on Windows XP, for development on the Windows XP platform. XNA Game Studio Express will give anyone with a Windows XP-based PC access to a unified development tool that liberates the creation of great Xbox 360 and Windows XP-compatible games...

I'll going to download the XNA beta now. Will let you know after I have some testing...