Getting started with Godot

This article describes how to get started using Godot to build XBOX games for PC with the Microsoft Game Development Kit (GDK). It points you to the XBOX Godot sample, which shows how to integrate the GDK, XBOX services, and PlayFab into a Godot project, and to XBOX Godot NetRumble, a complete multiplayer game built on it. It also explains where to find guidance for shipping a Godot game to XBOX Series X|S or XBOX One.

Godot is one of several engines you can use with the GDK. For an overview of the engine options and how the GDK fits into each one, see Microsoft Game Development Kit and game engines.

XBOX Godot Sample

The XBOX Godot sample is a public, source-only reference on GitHub. It is a working example of how a developer can build a Godot extension that integrates the Microsoft GDK, XBOX services, and PlayFab, so you can build your title for XBOX on PC, without leaving the engine you already love. This sample provides a modular reference that includes how to integrate the Microsoft GDK and PlayFab SDK together, or on their own.

Tip

The v0.2.0 & v0.3.0 releases add PlayFab Party chat indicators, voice controls, text-to-speech, and network diagnostics, complete the XUser API wrappers, add Godot .NET (C#) support, broaden GDK and Godot version compatibility, and expand GDK API reference coverage to 100%, along with community-reported fixes. For details on these releases, see Release notes.

Note

v0.3.0 contains a breaking change. Every script-visible type in the GDK addon was renamed, for example GDKUser is now XboxUser, and the C# namespace GodotGdk is now GodotXbox. No deprecated aliases are provided, so existing projects must update their type references before they will load. The engine singleton is still named GDK, so calls such as GDK.initialize() are unaffected. The sample ships a codemod to automate most of the change. For details, see Breaking change: GDK addon type rename.

What's included

The XBOX Godot sample covers a substantial portion of what a Godot game developer needs to build for XBOX on PC, with key features demonstrated in:

  • Microsoft GDK platform services
  • XBOX services
  • PlayFab Core + Services
  • PlayFab Multiplayer (Lobby, Matchmaking, Party)
  • PlayFab Game Saves
  • GameInput (including bridging to Godot's Input / InputMap)

Starting with v0.2.0, the sample also supports Godot .NET (C#) projects through a managed C# track, in addition to GDScript.

From XBOX services to GameInput, this sample shows you how to bring sign-in, gamepad controller support capabilities and more into your game with Godot. It includes insights and re-usable integration code, and supports a broad range of GDK editions and Godot versions out of the box. For the specific editions and versions validated in each release, see Release notes.

What this is and what it isn't

  • This is a source-only sample, not a product. It's MIT-licensed at the wrapper layer; the GDK and PlayFab dependencies still require their own installs and license acceptance, consistent with our other XBOX samples.

  • There is no set update cadence for support or maintenance. We'll watch the repo, monitor issues, and iterate where it makes sense, but this isn't a commercial release. That said, we're excited to hear your feedback, and see any community PRs, as we evolve this together.

  • This is the first step in bringing Godot for XBOX on PC. We plan to evolve it over time based on what the community tells us is most valuable.

  • This sample is built specifically for XBOX on PC. It doesn't include support for XBOX Series X|S or XBOX One. For information about console support, see the XBOX Series X|S and XBOX One support section below.

Get started

Use these resources to clone the repository, build the extension, and start integrating with your Godot project:

  • XBOX Godot Sample: XBOX Godot Sample - An example implementation binding the Microsoft GDK, PlayFab, and GameInput to Godot.
  • Microsoft GDK: microsoft/GDK - Microsoft Public GDK.
  • PlayFab SDK: PlayFab Unified SDK - PlayFab Unified SDK.
  • GameInput: GameInput - A next-generation input API that exposes input devices of all kinds through a single consistent interface.
  • Documentation: XBOX Godot Docs - Documentation for the Godot XBOX sample.
  • Issues: XBOX Godot Issues - Report bugs, request features, or contribute back.

After you have integrated the Microsoft GDK with your Godot project, follow the rest of the PC end-to-end guide to register your title, set up your product in Partner Center, and publish your game to the Microsoft Store.

XBOX Godot NetRumble

XBOX Godot NetRumble is a complete, playable Godot 4 multiplayer game built on the XBOX Godot sample addons. Released on September 10, 2026, it shows the GDK, XBOX services, and PlayFab working together in one running title, rather than as isolated per-API examples.

Sign-in, join-code session discovery, Party networking, voice and typed text, privileges and privacy, moderation, achievements, and Game Save are wired end to end into a small arena game, so you can see the call ordering, failure handling, and lifecycle work that a shipping title has to get right. PlayFab Party is wrapped as a drop-in Godot MultiplayerPeer, so every @rpc in the sample stays ordinary Godot RPC and your existing networking code keeps working. Every platform call sits behind a single services facade with one file per concern, so you can lift the piece you need. The sample also maps each XBOX Requirement it covers to the code that implements it, which gives you a head start on certification.

The same project targets XBOX on PC and XBOX Series X|S. Exporting to console additionally requires the W4 Games console fork of Godot.

Like the XBOX Godot sample, NetRumble is a source-only, MIT-licensed reference, not a certified title. For details, see XBOX Godot NetRumble Sample v0.1.0 Release.

Release notes

The XBOX Godot sample evolves over time based on community feedback. Per-release notes describe the new features, improvements, and fixes in each version, along with the GDK editions and Godot versions validated for that release.

For the complete history of releases and downloads, see XBOX Godot sample releases on GitHub.

Support for XBOX Series X|S and XBOX One

The XBOX Godot sample is built specifically for XBOX on PC and does not include support for XBOX Series X|S or XBOX One.

Because Godot is open source and MIT-licensed, the Godot Foundation does not officially maintain console export templates: console SDKs are distributed under NDA and require legal contracts and closed access that are incompatible with the engine's open development model.

For current details on the console porting process, the list of middleware providers, and links to additional Godot Foundation guidance, see Godot and console porting on the official Godot Engine website.

If you are already building for XBOX Series X|S or XBOX One, contact your XBOX representative. If you are not yet registered, see Register for the ID@XBOX program to get started.

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