XR-001: Title Stability *

Version 1.0, 8/1/2021

Titles must be compliant with Windows Store policy regarding Title Stability. The following Windows policies apply to this Xbox Requirement:

10.4.2

Apps must continue to run and remain responsive to user input.
Apps must shut down gracefully and not close unexpectedly.
The app must handle exceptions raised by any of the managed or native system APIs and remain responsive to user input after the exception is handled.

10.4.3

The app must start up promptly and must stay responsive to user input.

Additional Resources

Test Cases

001-01 Title Stability

Test Steps

  1. Sign in to an Xbox profile.
  2. Launch the title.
  3. Navigate all areas of the title, including but not limited to:
  • Gameplay.
  • Menus and features.
  • Downloadable content (DLC).
  1. Using a new Xbox profile with no previous save data, repeat steps [1-3] while disconnected from Xbox Live services.

Expected Result
Title instability refers to any state where user input is not recognized, or the user is blocked from progressing due to a software crash without any user notification.

Pass Examples

  1. The title is stable.
  2. The title does not cause unintended loss of user data.

Fail Examples

  1. The title crashes, becomes unresponsive, or causes a console reboot.
  2. The title causes the loss of user data.
  3. A non-interactive pause or static screen is presented lasting over twenty seconds.
  4. The title contains a loading screen which is more than two minutes with no indication of progress.
  5. The title contains a loading screen which is more than three minutes with a progress indicator.

001-02 Title Stability After Suspending

Test Steps

  1. Sign into an Xbox profile.
  2. Launch the title and progress into gameplay.
  3. At various points during the title, suspend the title using 'xbapp suspend [PFN]'.
  4. Wait at least 30 seconds for the title to fully suspend and for the suspension to interrupt any HTTP request.
  5. After the title has successfully suspended, return to the title by selecting the tile from Home.
  6. Verify that the title resumes without issue and that the user can continue with their save progress made from their last save point.
  7. Continue to the next save point, save the game, and return to the main menu.
  8. Reload the save made in step [7] and make sure all progress is still present.
  9. Repeat steps [3]-[8] throughout the title.

Expected Result
Title instability refers to any state where user input is not recognized, or the user is blocked from progressing due to a software crash without any user notification. Additionally, users must not lose any save progress after returning to gameplay.

Pass Examples

  1. The title is stable.
  2. The title does not cause unintended loss of user data.
  3. The game returns from a suspended state and the user is able to immediately continue from their last gameplay location.
  4. The game returns from a suspended state and the user is prompted whether they want to resume from their last gameplay location.
  5. The game returns from a suspended state and the game returns to a previous menu or initial interactive state, however the user is able to load their last save location.
  6. After suspending during online gameplay that requires online service connectivity, the game returns from a suspended state and has returned the user to a previous menu or initial interactive state.
  7. The package execution state is 'Package execution state: 4 (terminated)' as a result of the system terminating the title (typically the result of connected storage de-synchronization). Resume behavior is not expected as the title will be launched from a terminated state. The execution state can be observed by running xbapp query <Package Full Name> via the command line.

Fail Examples

  1. The package execution state is 'Package execution state: 0 (unknown)' as a result of a failure to suspend. The execution state can be observed by running xbapp query <Package Full Name> via the command line.
  2. The game returns from a suspended state and the package execution state is 'Package execution state: 0 (unknown)'. The execution state can be observed by running xbapp query <Package Full Name> via the command line.
  3. The game returns from a suspended state then reboots back to the initial boot sequence.
  4. The user is unable to re-establish a connection with the partner-hosted service.

001-03 Title Stability After Connected Standby

Configuration: One console with the following configuration:

  • Auto sign-in enabled in Settings -> Sign-in, security & passkey -> Instant sign-in.
  • A console with Instant-on set in Settings -> Power & Start-up -> Instant-on.

Test Steps

  1. Enable the Instant-on setting and the Instant sign-in settings on the console (see Configuration).
  2. Sign into an Xbox profile with the console set as a user's home console and with a license to the title.
  3. Launch the title, sign into a profile and progress into gameplay.
  4. Enter connected standby by pressing the power button on the console and waiting for the power button to stop blinking.
  5. Resume from standby using the power button on the console.
  6. Sign into the same Xbox profile as in Step [1] using auto sign in.
  7. Re-launch the title and continue the title where the user left off.
  8. Continue to the next save point, save the game, and return to the main menu.
  9. Reload the save made in step [8] and make sure all progress is still present.
  10. Repeat steps [3]-[9] throughout the title.

Expected Result
Title instability refers to any state where user input is not recognized, or the user is blocked from progressing due to a software crash without any user notification. Additionally, users must not lose any save progress after returning to gameplay.

Pass Examples

  1. The game returns from connected standby and the user is able to immediately continue from their last gameplay location.
  2. The game returns from connected standby and the user is prompted whether they want to resume from their last gameplay location.
  3. The game returns from connected standby and the game returns to a previous menu or initial interactive state, however the user is able to load their last save location.
  4. After entering connected standby during online gameplay that requires online service connectivity, the game returns from connected standby and has returned the user to a previous menu or initial interactive state.
  5. The package execution state is 'Package execution state: 4 (terminated)' as a result of the system terminating the title (typically the result of connected storage de-synchronization). Resume behavior is not expected as the title will be launched from a terminated state. The execution state can be observed by running xbapp query <Package Full Name> via the command line.

Fail Examples

  1. The package execution state is 'Package execution state: 0 (unknown)' as a result of a failure to suspend. The execution state can be observed by running xbapp query <Package Full Name> via the command line.
  2. The game returns from connected standby and the package execution state is 'Package execution state: 0 (unknown)'. The execution state can be observed by running xbapp query <Package Full Name> via the command line.
  3. The game returns from connected standby then reboots back to the initial boot sequence.
  4. The user is unable to re-establish a connection with the partner-hosted service.