Xbox Game Development has historically been the domain of big corporate studios.
But what if you - the independent developer - Want to put your game in front of the millions
of xbox gamers around the globe?
In this video we’re going to show you how to prepare your game, how to get approved
by Microsoft, and how to set up your xbox game development for success.
This is the same process we’ve followed while releasing games on Xbox in careers - and
its resulted in first time concept approvals and certification passes.
We are Ask GameDev, aka the unreal ghostbusters, aka rolling in Godot, aka 30 Seconds to Parse,
and this is Xbox Game Development Explained
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So you are interested in putting your game up for sale on the Xbox platform?
First, let's talk about the Microsoft gaming ecosystem - because it’s more than just
the Xbox One.
Microsoft also publishes games for its windows 10 platform.
That market is a huge install base and could also be worth your consideration.
You will need to develop a Universal Windows Platform, or “UWP” title if you want to
access the full suite of Microsoft platforms: Xbox One, Windows 10 desktop PCs, and mobile.
Microsoft sells games digitally in the Windows and Xbox One stores and you can typically
earn 70% of revenues from the sale of your game after Microsoft takes its 30% platform
fee.
You can also simultaneously release your title on other competing platforms beyond the Microsoft
platforms, like Sony or Nintendo.
If you have a particularly good game, Microsoft may be interested in offering you promotional
benefits in return for having exclusive distribution on their platform for a period of time or
in perpetuity.
Once you have chosen the Microsoft platform you are interested in, the next thing you
will want to do is to establish a relationship with Microsoft by registering for an account
on the ID @Xbox website].
This is the hub for everything to do with publishing within the Microsoft Ecosystem.
Games that are approved by ID@Xbox are part of the curated offerings on the Xbox and get
premium placement with the Xbox store . Your game will have to meet the standards of quality
and appropriateness - Microsoft’s certification means that they stand behind your game.
Once you create your account and sign an NDA, you will need to provide Microsoft with details
on who you are and what you are looking to release on their platform.
This includes discussing your game concept details in hopes of the approval that is necessary
to release on their platforms.
Once you have this you can secure the necessary SDK, Middleware, and Development hardware
for your needs.
So what kinds of games are suitable for Microsoft platforms?
The Xbox has a pretty broad offering of titles, from family friendly kids games to targeted
titles that include violence and other mature content.
Microsoft’s statement on this on the ID@Xbox website is: “While we’re not trying to
be censors, we’re also not interested in enabling extremely vulgar, offensive, or objectionable
games.
In terms of content, we’re looking for games that feel at home on their target platform
and that reflect what customers expect when gaming on Xbox One or Windows.”
So that said, when considering your games’ suitability, take a peek at existing Xbox
titles.
Does your product vision have comparables on the platform?
If so, you are probably in good shape for concept approval.
On the topic of engines, the good news about developing for Xbox or Windows is that you
can essentially choose from most any development engine - most of the mainstream engine options
support the Microsoft platforms.
Microsoft has made official statements in the past supporting game engines like Unity,
Construct 3, MonoGame, and Xenko But those are hardly the only options - you can develop
in your engine of choice and be confident that your freshly authored game code will
be put to good use.
If you want to learn more about some of the best engines that you can use to develop your
Xbox or Windows title - check out a recent video we did on engines by clicking the card
above.
Now let’s talk Hardware and Middleware for your xbox game development.
To develop for the Xbox, you will typically need to secure an Xbox Development kit.
The Xbox Development Kit - or “XDK” for short - is a piece of hardware bundled with
various software applications and is used to make games for the Xbox.
It includes libraries, a compiler, and various tools to jump-start your development.
The XDK also includes a tool to record in-game footage, which has been widely used to create
high-quality screenshots and trailers for the marketing of you title.
Note that each approved microsoft developer via the ID@xbox programs gets two development
kits for free.
If you want to use a retail Xbox One as a development kit - you are in luck.
Once you download the preview version of the Xbox Dev Mode Activation app, you can unlock
dev mode on your Xbox One and experiment with creating games.
Developers in ID@Xbox have full access to the Live stack and support the exact same
features as all other digital content on Xbox One - including full support for multiplayer,
Game DVR, Kinect, in-game transactions, updates, DLC, SmartGlass, and more.
As Microsoft says: “If a feature is supported on Xbox One, ID@Xbox games can take advantage
of it.”
Once your development is complete you will want to submit your title for for final certification.
This is where Microsoft ensures that your game is of high-quality and won’t break
or behave inappropriately.
For Xbox One titles, you will be provided a release manager who will help you navigate
the certification process, including clear documentation on certification requirements,
such as acquiring ESRB or other ratings.
For the Xbox, make sure to allot time to read over all of the certification guidelines,
and then allow for more time to execute on them.
You’re going to need to support countless scenarios - including usage of the xbox hardware
and controllers.
What happens to your game when an xbox controller is pulled out?
You will need to plan for that.
You will also need to support platform standards for front end and pause menus - including
making sure your game provides users with the same standardized usage messaging as other
xbox games.
How long should you allocate for the whole certification process?
It somewhat depends on how ‘done’ your final build is when you submit it.
If you have done a thorough job meeting all of the xbox requirements, you could get a
first time pass through certification in a few weeks.
The timeline could be much longer if you have to resubmit builds as a result of a lot of
certification holes.
The best thing to do is to talk with your representative at ID@xbox to get an understanding
of the latest timeline estimates.
For Windows games, the certification process is much quicker - with less stringent requirements
around bugs and user notifications.
Now that we have covered ID@xbox - there is another option with the Xbox platforms that
has less approval and certification requirements - and that’s the Xbox Live Creators Program.
Whether you’re just getting into game development, finishing a student project, or looking to
take your latest creation to the biggest screen in the house, the Xbox Live Creators Program
is for you.
Games from the Creators program can be found in the Creators Collection, a special section
of the Xbox One Store.
To get into the Creators Collection, your game will need to integrate Xbox Live and
follow the standard Store policies.
No concept approval is required.
This is a marketplace for unfiltered games directly from the developers themselves, so
user feedback drives how Creators Collection games are rated.
So what’s the catch?
Well for one, your title won’t get access to all of the Xbox game development services.
While many services like Leaderboards, Cloud Saves, Game Hubs, Clubs, Party Chat, and Mixer
Broadcasting are supported - you won’t get access to Achievements, Gamerscore, or internet
multiplayer.
To access those features, developers will need to go through the ID@Xbox program.
Also - Creators Program accounts cost approximately $19 USD, and company accounts cost approximately
$99 USD - and the exact amounts may vary depending on your country or region.
This is a one-time registration fee and no renewal is required.
A developer account lets you submit apps and add-ins to Microsoft marketplaces.
Fun games like:
Solitaire HD,
Space Cat,
and Whispers in the Dark
..have all had success with the Creators program.
Check out the Xbox Live Creators Program site for more details.
So now you are ready to to jumpstart your xbox game development.
This is the second video in our platform series - we recently covered publishing on the Nintendo
Switch, so check out that video by clicking the card above.
Also, we would like to know what you think is the most attractive consolve to develop
for.
Maybe its the xbox one - or maybe its one of the Nintendo or Sony platforms.
Either way, let your fellow viewers know your opinion on the best platforms for developers
in the comments below!
We’ll leave you now with a look at a game made by a fellow member of the Ask GameDev
community - Bracer Jack, who owns the “bracer jack” channel here on youtube.
The title is called SNU and was built by a single developer - from start to finish in
only one year.
Very inspiring!
SNU is available on iOS for free and see our video description for the link to check it
out.
If you are on a gamedev journey, please link to your game, art, animation, or audio in
the comments below as we’re looking to celebrate more viewer projects in future videos!
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