Create and publish add-ons for a game

This article describes how to create and publish game add-ons.

Add-ons are used to make new content for your game, like game expansions, character skins, or virtual currencies, available to customers. An add-on must be associated with a game that you create in Partner Center.

Prerequisites

Prerequisites

Create an add-on associated with a game in Partner Center

Game add-ons are configured within your game in Partner Center. Navigate to your game and then use the Add-ons page within the title to start the process of creating add-ons.

  1. Sign in to Partner Center.
  2. In the Home page, select Apps and games.
  3. In the Apps and games | Overview page, select your title. Or, enter your game's name in the search bar and then select your game.
  4. Select Add-ons from the left navigation pane.
  5. In the Add-ons page, select + Create a new... and select the type of add-on to create. XBOX creators can create different types of add-ons including: Consumable (Developer-managed), Consumable (Microsoft Store-managed), Durable, Durable with Packages, and Add-on Bundle. For more information, see Add-ons.
  6. Specify a unique value as the product ID for your add-on. For example, consumable_001. This ID is used in code and in Partner Center to identify the add-on.
  7. Select Create.
  1. Sign in to Partner Center.
  2. In the Home page, select Apps and games.
  3. In the Apps and games | Overview page, select your title. Or, enter your game's name in the search bar and then select your game.
  4. Select Add-ons from the left navigation pane.
  5. In the Add-ons page, select + Create a new... and select the type of add-on to create. You can create different types of add-ons including: Consumable (Developer-managed), Consumable (Microsoft Store-managed), and Durable. For more information, see Add-ons.
  6. Specify a unique value as the product ID for your add-on. For example, consumable_001. This ID is used in code and in Partner Center to identify the add-on.
  7. Select Create.

Configure add-on properties

Add-on properties are similar to the properties of a base game.

Each add-on type has different properties that you need to configure. For example, Durables have a different list of properties from Consumables. For more information, see Partner Center sections to configure for add-ons.

Use the add-on in your game

Add-ons are identified using values in the Identity details section of the add-on setup page. Use the product ID to associate the item in your game. For more information, see Commerce - Getting Started in the Game Development Kit.

Submit add-ons for certification

When all the required information needed is completed, you can move forward and submit the add-on for certification. Your add-on's Pricing and Store listings configurations might need to be approved.

Use the Certify option on the add-on's Overview page to begin the certification process. For more information, see Certify.

Note

You can't submit an add-on for certification until the base game has been submitted for certification.

Publish add-ons

Add-ons can only be published to the RETAIL sandbox after passing certification. However, since add-ons must be associated with a base game, the base game must pass certification and be published to the RETAIL sandbox before the add-on can be published.

You can submit both the base game and add-on for certification at the same time. In the event where the add-on passes certification but not the base game, you can't publish the add-on until the base game passes certification.

Similar to a base game, configurations made in the Pricing and availability section of the add-on determine when the add-on is visible and available to customers in the RETAIL sandbox.

See also

  • Last updated on