Microsoft reportedly tightening rules on identical games with separate achievements
TL;DR
The company is reportedly planning stricter policies to stop creators from publishing duplicate titles with separate achievement records.
New rules from the company may soon stop creators from launching identical titles across Windows and Xbox consoles just to feature independent achievement tallies. An email sent to creators indicates that multi-platform releases must now either feature unique content or link their progression paths.
This targets stacking practices involving multiple editions of a single title, letting users collect Gamerscore repeatedly for identical tasks. The corporation views this method as breaking Section 10.1 of its store guidelines regarding proper representation and functionality.
Teams are advised to utilize Xbox Play Anywhere or game binding to connect saved data across devices. While distinct versions with unique content remain allowed, publishing identical products merely for extra achievement hunting will no longer be permitted. The exact timeline for enforcing these updates remains unannounced.
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