How to launch your game on Xbox

Xbox is widely seen as having one of the most accessible entry paths for indie studios among the three big console makers, thanks to the ID@Xbox program. This guide covers how registration works, the platform's technical requirements and the certification process.

The ID@Xbox program

ID@Xbox is Microsoft's program for independent developers, with applications made directly through the program's official site. Xbox does have a Developer Mode (Dev Mode) that can be enabled on a retail console, and it still shows up in older material as a shortcut for testing without a dedicated kit, but that no longer serves a commercial game today: in that mode the console runs UWP builds, a format Microsoft has discontinued. In practice, development and certification happen with a real development kit, granted through ID@Xbox itself.

Applying to ID@Xbox usually involves a stage where Microsoft reviews the game concept before granting wider access to the program's tools, not a fully automatic sign-up, but still generally faster to get through than the process at other manufacturers.

What the Xbox Requirements (XR) are

Just as Nintendo has Lotcheck and Sony has the TRC, Microsoft defines the Xbox Requirements (XR): the set of technical and behavioural rules every game must follow to be certified on the platform. Among other points, that includes handling saving and resuming progress correctly, responding appropriately to system events (such as suspending and resuming the game) and complying with Microsoft's interface guidelines. This is the rule set that guides the final submission before launch.

Achievements and Gamerscore

The Xbox achievement system, with points accumulated as Gamerscore, is an expected part of the experience in any game released on the platform. Microsoft sets rules for how achievements are structured (including the total points available per game), and implementing that system correctly is part of the certification review.

Smart Delivery and optimisation for Xbox Series X|S

Smart Delivery is Microsoft's feature that makes sure a player who buys a game automatically receives the version best suited to the console they own (Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S) without having to buy the game more than once. Games optimised for Xbox Series X|S usually aim at higher performance targets (resolution and frame rate), plus features such as Quick Resume, which lets players switch between suspended games without loading from scratch.

Xbox Play Anywhere

One distinctive part of the Microsoft ecosystem is the Xbox Play Anywhere program: participating games can be bought once and played on both Xbox consoles and Windows, with saved progress and (where supported) achievements shared between the two versions. For a studio that has already launched on PC, this is usually worth considering when planning the Xbox port. Joining the program widens your reach without requiring a fully separate Windows release.

Age rating and certification

As on the other platforms, a valid age rating (ESRB, PEGI or the equivalent body) is required before submitting for certification. The final submission checks compliance with the Xbox Requirements, and, as with any console certification process, it is common for the first attempt to come back with points that need fixing before approval.

How Nuntius Games handles your Xbox launch

Launching on Xbox is one of the porting and publishing fronts Nuntius Games takes on, from registering with ID@Xbox through to following the submission for certification under the Xbox Requirements.

In practice, Nuntius runs the whole process: ID@Xbox registration, adapting the build, QA, submission and the rounds of fixes for the Xbox Requirements until approval comes through. The studio follows the deliveries; the paperwork and Microsoft's requirements stay with Nuntius.

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