Microsoft streamlines its Xbox Publishing Guide while upgrading revenue model for indies
Microsoft has released its Xbox Game Publishing Guide to the public after lifting NDAs. This change now allows independent creators and game developers to easily bring their projects to Xbox consoles without the usual red tape.
For many years, Microsoft’s publishing process had been a secret, requiring game developers to sign NDAs and go through hoops to obtain basic information. With the Xbox Game Publishing guide now freely available, anyone can now access it and use it as a roadmap to prepare their games for release.
The guide outlines everything one needs to know about getting onto Xbox, including a detailed step-by-step guide to signing up with ID @ Xbox, setting up the Microsoft Partner Center, and accessing features like wish lists, pre-orders, and release schedules.
The guide also details how developers can participate in the Xbox Insider Program to test their games with players early and use the Xbox Game Preview system to soft-launch titles.
In an official blog post, Microsoft promised to continue updating the Xbox Game Publishing Guide to inform developers on the latest features, tools, and best practices. This move could have transpired due to Valve recently revealing its refreshed Steam Machine, opening a couch avenue to access Steam games.
Steam already provides easy access and open tools for solo developers and indie studios to publish their games on the platform, which has led to many indie hits like Megabonk, Escape from Duckov, and Peak appearing on the Steam Store.
A more inclusive approach with additional perks for indie devs
In the Microsoft blog post, Senior Program Manager Ed Steward stated:
“By opening our Game Publishing Documentation, we’re removing barriers to learning and making it easier for teams of all sizes to understand what it takes to ship a game on Xbox.
Whether you’re a first-time independent developer or a seasoned publisher, you can now browse the guide freely, share it with your team, and reference it throughout development.”
With this move, Microsoft is encouraging a friendlier environment for small developer teams who have been publishing their games on Steam. As a byproduct of this update, developers who publish their games on the Xbox PC store will receive 88% of the revenue, higher than Steam’s 70% initial gross revenue.
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