Requirements

• PlayFab developer account
  • Complete Quickstart: Game Manager to set up your PlayFab account.
• Visual Studio 2019 or 2022
  • For GDK development, see SDK & tools requirements

Project Setup

Download and install the October 2025 (or later) Microsoft Game Development Kit (GDK), which includes the PlayFab Unified SDK.

Configure Project Compilation and Linking

1. Additional Include Directories
   • Right-click your Visual Studio project and select Properties.
   • Go to C/C++ > General.
   • Add the SDK's include folder (e.g., $(GameDKLatest)\windows\include) to Additional Include Directories.
2. Additional Library Directories
   • Go to Linker > General.
   • Add the SDK's lib folder (e.g., $(GameDKLatest)\windows\lib\x64) to Additional Library Directories.
3. Additional Dependencies
   • Go to Linker > Input.
   • Add the required SDK .lib files from the SDK's lib folder to Additional Dependencies (e.g., xgameruntime.lib, PlayFabCore.lib, PlayFabServices.lib, PlayFabMultiplayer.lib, Party.lib etc.).
4. Runtime Dependencies
   • Copy the required SDK .dll files from the SDK's bin folder (e.g., $(GameDKLatest)\windows\bin\x64) to your project's output directory (e.g., libHttpClient.dll, PlayFabCore.dll, PlayFabServices.dll, PlayFabMultiplayer.dll, Party.dll, etc.).

Troubleshooting setup issues

If you encounter linking issues, ensure Visual Studio build tools and libraries (version 17.5 or later) are installed. In Visual Studio Installer, select Modify for VS2022 and add the required components.