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To publish an Xbox game, configure it in Microsoft Partner Center, upload its packages, complete age ratings and Store listings, submit it for certification, and publish after it passes. Xbox console and PC releases require certification before release. The exact work depends on supported platforms, release markets, game features, and whether you plan to ship physical discs.
Where Xbox game publishing happens
Microsoft Partner Center is the central place to configure a game, upload packages, provide ratings and Store information, submit for certification, and publish. Microsoft’s Game Publishing Guide overview also describes lifecycle functions such as package flighting, promotional codes, and sales or engagement reports.
New publishers begin by registering as an Xbox partner, enrolling in Partner Center, and applying to ID@Xbox. Microsoft says partner registration and the ID@Xbox application have no fees; that does not guarantee acceptance or immediate access to every publishing feature. Follow the current Xbox onboarding instructions and eligibility requirements.
Plan the submission around your release
Before preparing files, establish which platforms and markets the game will support, which languages its Store listing will use, whether it will be sold on physical discs, and whether gameplay or features require publisher-account sign-in or linking. Those choices affect package and listing requirements, ratings, and disclosures.
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- BUILT-IN AUDIO SUPPORT — Plug in compatible headsets using the 3.5mm audio jack for direct voice chat and immersive in-game sound.
Microsoft’s Partner Center readiness checklist groups release setup into game setup, packages, properties, age ratings, Store listings, pricing and availability, gaming metadata, and Xbox services. Use it to verify the configuration for each supported platform and release market, and represent the product accurately.
- Platform: Xbox console, Xbox on PC, or a game supporting multiple platforms may have different package and listing requirements. Rating certificates may also need to cover each platform.
- Release format: Digital distribution and physical discs do not follow identical rating and listing steps. Disc distribution adds regional certificate work, and disc ordering has listing requirements.
- Market and language: Ratings need to cover selected markets; consider Store languages spoken in the markets where the game will be released.
- Features and accounts: Online play, account linking, and publisher-account sign-in can trigger age-appropriate access, privacy, safety, and disclosure requirements.
What certification checks
Microsoft requires certification before products release on Xbox consoles or PC. The Partner Center certification submission guidance describes three stages:
- Submission checks: The submission is reviewed, including validator checks and antivirus scanning.
- Build verification testing: Microsoft establishes that the build can be tested and that issues from earlier submissions have been addressed.
- Xbox requirements testing: The product is evaluated against the requirements and test cases that apply to it. Passing the applicable tests means it is considered compliant and ready for release.
Certification covers more than whether a package installs or runs: Store listings and pricing and availability are also product components reviewed in the process. Applicable requirements depend on the product and Xbox requirements for its release.
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Rank #2
- MODERNIZED DESIGN — Experience the modernized design of the XBOX Wireless Controller with sculpted surfaces and updated geometry that enhances comfort and control during long gaming sessions.
- PRECISION PERFORMANCE — Stay on target with a hybrid D-pad and textured grips on triggers, bumpers, and back case for improved accuracy and handling.
- SHARE BUTTON: Seamlessly capture and share content such as screenshots, recordings, and more with the new Share button.
- VERSATILE CONNECTIVITY — Connect via USB-C for plug-and-play on console and PC, or quickly pair and switch between supported devices with XBOX Wireless and Bluetooth support.
- BUILT-IN AUDIO SUPPORT — Plug in compatible headsets using the 3.5mm audio jack for direct voice chat and immersive in-game sound.
Prepare the submission
Complete the certification questionnaire and provide relevant supplemental material. Depending on the game, Microsoft gives examples such as an achievement guide, walkthrough, or key-features summary. Before a final submission, resolve issues from earlier submissions, review validator results, and complete relevant Xbox services, Properties, and Age Ratings configuration. If a prior Optional or Final submission requires it, increment the package version. Disc releases have listing requirements tied to the disc order.
How to provide age ratings
Age ratings are required for certification submissions. In Partner Center, publishers can generate a rating by completing the IARC questionnaire or enter an IARC rating ID obtained through another platform or storefront. Publishers are responsible for supplying all certificates required for review. See Microsoft’s age-rating instructions.
Digital releases
Answer the IARC questionnaire accurately for the game being submitted. If the answers change, redo the questionnaire; check that the rating values and descriptors in Partner Center match the configuration and that ratings exist for every selected market.
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- PRECISION PERFORMANCE — Stay on target with a hybrid D-pad and textured grips on triggers, bumpers, and back case for improved accuracy and handling.
- SHARE BUTTON: Seamlessly capture and share content such as screenshots, recordings, and more with the new Share button.
- VERSATILE CONNECTIVITY — Connect via USB-C for plug-and-play on console and PC, or quickly pair and switch between supported devices with XBOX Wireless and Bluetooth support.
- BUILT-IN AUDIO SUPPORT — Plug in compatible headsets using the 3.5mm audio jack for direct voice chat and immersive in-game sound.
Physical discs and multiple platforms
For physical distribution, complete the questionnaire and upload the rating certificate obtained from the relevant ratings board for each region where the game will be distributed physically. A publisher overriding an IARC-generated rating for a game spanning platforms may need a valid certificate for each platform.
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Store listing text and artwork
The Store listing is the customer-facing text, images, and trailers on the Microsoft Store product detail page. Microsoft requires a listing in at least one language; a text description and at least one screenshot in one language are required to complete the listing step. Localized listings are recommended for languages spoken in release markets where feasible. A game running on Xbox devices must meet Xbox-specific asset rules in addition to any rules for other supported device families. The Xbox Store listing guide has the current instructions.
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Game art and screenshots
For game submissions, Microsoft’s guide identifies these required art assets:
- Box art
- Poster art
- Featured Promotional Square Art
- Super Hero Art
- Titled Hero Art
- Screenshots
Branded Key Art is no longer required for Xbox submissions. Trailers are optional but highly recommended. Do not assume this checklist applies unchanged to DLC, physical-disc submissions, or every device family; check the instructions for the specific product and submission.
The guide requires the title, when applicable, to appear in the upper two-thirds of the image; certification enforces this placement rule. Microsoft supports one to eight screenshots and recommends at least four. Trailer rules vary by placement: a Store product-page trailer has an exception concerning embedded ratings. Check current file formats, dimensions, and asset-specific rules in the listing guide before creating or uploading artwork.
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Account, safety, and privacy requirements
A game’s account model and online features can affect certification and Store disclosures. Microsoft’s Xbox online safety and privacy requirements explain, for example, that when publisher-account sign-in or account linking is required for gameplay or features, access must be age-appropriate in light of the game’s rating, Xbox family settings, regional law, and feature-specific safety or privacy requirements.
Clearly disclose publisher-account requirements and material restrictions in the Store, packaging, and in-game messaging where applicable. Evaluate these requirements against the game’s actual features and account model rather than treating them as a generic package checkbox.
Final Partner Center checks before release
Use the readiness checklist to review the complete product configuration before submission and release:
- Confirm game setup, supported platforms, packages, Properties, gaming metadata, and Xbox services match the product.
- Ensure packages are certified for the platforms you plan to support.
- Check that ratings and certificates cover the selected markets, platforms, and physical-distribution regions that apply.
- Verify the Store listing has its required text and assets and is configured for intended markets and languages.
- Review pricing and availability alongside the rest of the product configuration.
- Check account, online safety, privacy, and disclosure obligations against the title’s actual features.
Partner Center and Microsoft’s technical and procedural pages can change independently. Verify the current instructions for the specific title, platforms, markets, and release format before submitting.
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