The big three in-game publishing – Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo – have typically been much pickier about the developers they support and the games they host than the likes of Steam. This makes sense, since it isn’t just the reputation of their storefronts on the line, but the hardware as well.
However, we have seen this loosened in recent years, and now, Xbox is taking that even further. As of this week, Xbox has made its previously private game publishing guide publicly accessible to all and has lifted all of the NDAs associated with it, meaning it can be discussed publicly.
Devs Invited To Work With Xbox As The Studio Releases Its Publishing Guide
As reported by Windows Central, this move brings Xbox’s console and PC publishing path more in line with that of Steam’s, which is open to the public – and therefore, smaller indie devs.
The announcement from Xbox details what this means in practical terms. “Whether you’re a first-time independent developer or a seasoned publisher, you can now browse the guide freely, share it with your team, and reference it throughout development,” the blog post reads.
“This is not a one-off change. We’ll continue to improve and grow our documentation, so every developer has the information they need to bring their game to Xbox. As we update requirements, streamline workflows, and add new features, the public guide will evolve alongside you.”
Reading between the lines, this is a clear attempt to make Xbox an attractive partner to publishers. We’ve seen some in the community respond with scepticism, fearful that Xbox stores will become the wild wasteland of Steam with low-quality games flooding the marketplace, but this move doesn’t guarantee that the games made from these guides will be published on Xbox stores.
Having struggled to keep up with its competitors this console generation, getting more game devs to work with Xbox is never a bad idea. In fact, going into the next console generation, it will need as much support as it can get, as it now has Valve to contend with. This is because Valve has revealed its own console, the Steam Machine, which is a PC and console hybrid. The next Xbox is said to be a PC and console hybrid too, but Valve is poised to beat it to market, launching early 2026.
