Step 5 - Publishing your game in Partner Center

This article describes how to upload and publish your game in Partner Center. Publish to a testing sandbox to evaluate your game, or to the RETAIL sandbox for release through the Microsoft Store. For a separate testing workflow in RETAIL that isn't a certified commercial retail release, see Playtest.

Prepare your package

Create and test your package before uploading. For engines with built-in GDK packaging support, use the engine's packaging menu. Otherwise, use the GDK command-line tools. See your integration guide under Step 4 - Integrate the GDK with your game, or follow Package and upload a PC game.

Both original MSIXVC and packages created with the /msixvc2 option use the .msixvc extension. Include the package and its .ekb file in your upload.

Keep Submission Validator enabled when packaging and review its log. Warnings and some failures can be deferred when publishing to a publisher development/test sandbox or through Playtest in RETAIL, but they can still identify problems that prevent installation, launch, or correct game operation. Other package and publishing requirements still apply. Before submitting for certification, resolve failures or follow the applicable certification exception process. See Development sandbox publishing versus certification.

Partner Center identifies MSIXVC2 packages with a tag in the UI. Use the same upload and publishing procedure below for either package format.

Upload and publish

1. Go to Partner Center.

2. Select Apps and games.

3. Select the product you want to publish.

4. Select Packages in the left pane.

5. Upload your game's .msixvc package and its .ekb file by dragging them into the upload area or selecting Browse your files. If you can't upload a .msixvc file, contact your Microsoft representative.

6. After uploading the files, select Save draft.

7. In the left pane, select Properties and enter information about your game, including its genre, contact information, privacy details, and player modes. Specify technical capabilities such as high dynamic range (HDR) video output and supported input devices.

8. Select Age ratings and complete the questionnaire. The International Age Rating Coalition (IARC) process generates ratings from your answers.

9. Select Store listings. Select Manage additional languages to add at least one language, then select each language entry and complete its required fields.

   Note

   Store listing values are publicly visible. Review the text and images carefully before publishing.

10. Select Pricing and availability. Specify pricing, markets, audience, and the publication date. A private audience limits availability for testing or beta releases. See Choose visibility or discoverability options for MSIX app.

11. Optionally, select Gaming metadata and enter metadata to help players find your game in the Microsoft Store and XBOX app.

12. Select Game setup, then select Review and publish at the bottom of the page.

13. In the Publish to drop-down list, select a testing sandbox or the RETAIL sandbox.

    Important

    Submission Validator warnings and some failures can be deferred for publisher development/test sandbox publishing and for the separate Playtest workflow in RETAIL. Playtest isn't a certified commercial retail release. Don't generalize these allowances to certification submissions or all RETAIL publishing merely because the audience is private or the release is a beta; follow the applicable certification and program requirements.

14. Review the status table. If an area is Incomplete, select it and provide the missing details. Continue when all areas are Complete.

15. Optionally, select Click here in the Submission notification audience section to add people who should receive status notifications.

16. Select Publish.

Publishing starts the submission process; it doesn't make the game available immediately. The selected notification audience receives updates as the submission is processed.