Without XNA. Please no XNA.

Without C++. Is it possible?

With C#.

I am so confused by all the things out there for Windows Game development, phone and OS.

Most things I read say to use XNA and typically they point to Windows 7 or 8, but not 8.1 or it is hacky. XNA is not supported so I do not wish to use it.

Is .NET used to make Windows phone apps for games? I've made small applications for the Windows phone, but not a game.

(Also hoping someone could tell me if I am still limited to c++ (no .net) for the Windows OS, PC, Xbox One(?))

Any help is appreciated. Please.

Thank you.

I am probably not understanding your question, but MonoGame is the successor to XNA.

Very recently, they dropped their dependency on XNA, which is good news.

It is a set of libraries. Games rely on libraries to do lots of work.

The .net framework and the compact framework both allow a lot of portability. Again they are tools and libraries to help you do work faster and easier.

Exactly what libraries you use in your game is up to you and your game design.

For example, you can use lots of different graphics libraries and tools. Many games with high graphics requirement will rely on Direct3D or OpenGL for their graphics capabilities. But if you game is designed to work in more traditional UI systems and the graphics system fits your needs, you can use that instead. And if yours is a text adventure, trying to build your game with a 3D graphics API is just stupid, the libraries don't match your needs.

If the .net framework and libraries help you make your games -- and for many games they can help -- then us them. If they do not help you make your game -- and for many games they don't help -- then don't use them.

Yeah, you can use plain old C# and .Net to make WP8 games.

Another option is Unity. Unity supports PC and WP8. You can program in C#. I have some personal grudges with the way Unity handles WP8 though, so I can't say I recommend it fully. I haven't used any other libraries on the phone yet so I have nothing to compare it to.

Just in case you didn't know, but MonoGame is really active, has broken it's ties to XNA, and Microsoft is even using it for some of their projects. :)

Sony is also collaborating with MonoGame.

So, it's strong.

And it does support Windows 8.1.

It is among the three most popular choices (Unity, GameMaker: Studio and MonoGame) for indies.

the three most popular choices (Unity, GameMaker: Studio and MonoGame) for indies.

[citation needed]

I do agree that those are very popular choices and any of them are potentially good choices for a beginning developer, but it may be a little misleading to refer to them as "the three most popular choices" when other options such as Unreal Engine, Corona SDK, SDL, SFML, etc. are also very popular and may be an equally suitable or possibly even better choice for any given individual.

No disagreement on the MonoGame suggestion though, it's a very solid library that isn't going away any time soon and will be very familiar to anyone who has used XNA. :)

Cited from Polygon: http://www.polygon.com/2014/3/19/5526584/sony-ps4-development-tools-indie-gamemaker-studio-monogame-unity

They mentioned it in conjunction with PlayStation development, though - and I sort of (conveniently) skimped that. :)

And, also, yes: UE4 will now take a place in the top three choices for indies, since it's now free.