Minimum 2D HLSL Pixel Shader

Game1.cs

namespace NewShader
{
    public class Game1 : Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Game
    {
        GraphicsDeviceManager graphics;
        SpriteBatch spriteBatch;

        Texture2D texture;
        Effect effect;

        public Game1()
        {
            graphics = new GraphicsDeviceManager(this);
            Content.RootDirectory = "Content";
        }

        protected override void LoadContent()
        {
            spriteBatch = new SpriteBatch(GraphicsDevice);
            texture = Content.Load<Texture2D>("surge");
            effect = Content.Load<Effect>("Effect1");
        }

        protected override void Draw(GameTime gameTime)
        {
            GraphicsDevice.Clear(Color.CornflowerBlue);

            spriteBatch.Begin(SpriteSortMode.Immediate, BlendState.AlphaBlend);
            effect.CurrentTechnique.Passes[0].Apply();
            spriteBatch.Draw(texture, new Vector2(0, 0), Color.White);
            spriteBatch.End();

            base.Draw(gameTime);
        }
    }
}