Create an Xbox game and configure Game setup

This article describes how to create a Game product and configure its Game setup in Partner Center.

Creating a Game product in Partner Center is the start of the process. Use this guide's menu on the left to navigate the other sections of the process. You don't have to complete the sections in order.

Prerequisites

• Enrolment in a Managed Creator program. If you're not enrolled yet, see Onboarding as a new CreatorAuthorization required
• Active Partner Center account. If you don't have an account yet, speak to your Microsoft contacts.
• Approved Game Concept for your product. If you don't have concept approval yet, see Game ConceptsAuthorization required.

Create a Game product

1. Sign in to Partner Center.
2. On the Home page, select Apps and games.
3. On the Apps and games | Overview page, select + New product and then select Game.
4. In Create your game by reserving a name, enter the name of your game in Name. Select the Check availability link to determine if the name is available. If the name is available, a green check mark appears.
5. Select Reserve product name.

Enabling Xbox Play Anywhere (XPA) Cross-Entitlement for Xbox games on PC and Console

If you're developing an Xbox Play Anywhere Game for PC and Console, follow the steps in this walkthrough to create a single Game, and select the Xbox and Desktop device families when prompted. When a customer purchases your game, they'll automatically be entitled to download and play the game on Xbox consoles and Windows PCs. We call this Xbox Cross Entitlement. Don't create separate Games for PC and Console if you're supporting XPA.

Configure Game setup - step one

If you're already on the Game setup page, skip to step 5.

1. Sign in to Partner Center.
2. Select the Apps and games workspace from the Home page. The Apps and games | Overview page appears.
3. On the Apps and games | Overview page, use Search to find and select your game.
4. Select Game setup from the left navigation pane.
5. In the Device family availability section, select Retail for each device family your game supports. Sandboxes is checked for you by default.
   • Select Desktop if you're developing a PC game
   • Select Xbox if you're developing a Console game

6. Leave Let Microsoft decide whether to make this product available to any future device families selected.
7. In the Xbox services section, leave Disable selected.
8. In the Sandboxes section, leave Enable publishing to sandboxes selected.
9. Select the Show details link in the Identity details section.
10. Note the identifiers and links. The Store ID, Package manifest values, and Package family values are especially important since they're used to identify the title and build by the Store. They're also used to license your game. To learn more about the identifiers, select the information icon next to it.
11. After configuring and reviewing the Game setup page, select Save draft.

The status at the top of the page now reads Status: Complete, and the Review and publish link is active.

Request product onboarding

Managed Creators are required to send the Store ID for new Game products to their Microsoft contacts for onboarding. This will enable access to Managed Creator features in Partner Center.

If you're already on the Game setup page, skip to step 5.

1. Sign in to Partner Center.
2. Select the Apps and games workspace from the Home page. The Apps and games | Overview page appears.
3. On the Apps and games | Overview page, use Search to find and select your game.
4. Select Game setup from the left navigation pane.
5. In the Identity details section, select Show details
6. Copy the Store ID value
7. Send an email to your Microsoft contacts to request product onboarding.
   • Subject Product onboarding request: <Product name> — <Store ID> — <Creator name>
   • Body I'd like to request product onboarding for the following product:
     <Product name>
     <Store ID>

Configure Game setup - step two

If you're already on the Game setup page, skip to step 5.

1. Sign in to Partner Center.
2. Select the Apps and games workspace from the Home page. The Apps and games | Overview page appears.
3. On the Apps and games | Overview page, use Search to find and select your game.
4. Select Game setup from the left navigation pane.
5. In the Xbox services section, select Use full Xbox services feature set (requires concept approval).
6. In the Primary Xbox services development sandbox section, select a development sandbox.
   • If you need to create a new development sandbox, first select Manage sandboxes.
   • For more information, see Branching and sandboxesAuthorization required.
7. Scroll to the bottom of the page and select Save draft.

Next steps

• Create and upload a game package