SKU planning

Submission of SKU plans

As early as possible prior to releasing your game on Console or PC, provide your Microsoft contacts with a plan detailing the editions (SKUs) of your game that will be released. Share this SKU plan for your digital products and any physical products you're planning to distribute. This will enable your Microsoft contacts to provide you with guidance about creating and configuring the products. This will also allow sufficient time to identify and resolve any recommendations or potential problems.

If your SKU plan changes after it has been reviewed, be sure to share details of the changes with your Microsoft contacts before modifying or publishing your products.

Xbox Games and Microsoft Store policies

The Xbox Games Store Policies (available in the Xbox Publisher Guide), Microsoft Store Policies, and your publishing agreement with Microsoft each provide guidance about permitted product configurations for both physical and digital distribution. Before you begin your SKU planning, ensure you're familiar with the requirements for each platform you'll support. Speak to your Microsoft contacts if you are unsure about any requirements.

Important information to share

There are a few critical pieces of information that will help your Microsoft contacts identify any recommendations or potential problems with your SKU plan. Share as much detail as you can about your plans, including:

• Name of each edition (SKU) of your game
• The content to be included in each SKU, for example base game and specific Downloadable Content (DLC) products
  • If the details for future DLC products are unconfirmed, include the information that is known and share updates with your Microsoft contacts before the content is released
  • If you're planning on including a Season Pass, be sure you're compliant with the requirements detailed in the Xbox Games Store Policy (available in the Xbox Publisher Guide)
• Details about any retailer-specific content
• Details about any pre-order-specific content
• Recommended Retail Price
• Key dates such as announcement and release date
• Product configuration for multi-platform releases, for example Smart Delivery and Xbox Play Anywhere
• Any other important information

Your Microsoft contacts will review your SKU plan and provide their approval. If needed, they will request and share additional feedback from the Microsoft Store team.

Product distribution configurations

When preparing your SKU plan, consider the options available that affect how your products are sold to customers.

• Xbox Play Anywhere: PC and Xbox console versions of your game configured as a single product, enabling customers to purchase once and play on both device types (Xbox Unified Entitlement). The game must also support cross-progression between the PC and console versions of the game.
• Smart Delivery: Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S platforms configured as a single product, enabling customers to purchase the product once and automatically install the native package for the device on which they're playing. Optionally, the product can also be used for a PC version of the game.
• Separate products: Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC platforms configured as individual products. Products can be bundled together or sold separately.
  • Use a generation of relationship to enable customers to automatically install the native package for the device on which they're playing. For more information, see Product relationship management.
  • Use Game binding to share Xbox services between the individual products. For more information, see Game binding.

For more information, see Create and onboard products in Partner Center.

Example SKU plan

The following is an example SKU plan that includes the information you should provide to your Microsoft contacts.

DISC PRODUCTS

DIGITAL PRODUCTS

Digital pre-order considerations

As a managed Creator, you should submit your pre-order and SKU plans to Microsoft for approval. We recommended sharing your plans with your Microsoft contacts at least three weeks before your pre-order begins to allow sufficient time for review. Follow the guidance in this topic to prepare your pre-order SKU plan for review. Submit this pre-order plan as early as possible to ensure that your timeline and goals can be achieved.

For more information, see Configuring pre-order products.

Marketing considerations

In addition to sharing your SKU plan, you should also share your high-level marketing plans for each game with your Microsoft contacts. This will help coordinate marketing efforts and will enable them to provide the best support possible.

Next steps

After your SKU plan is approved, you can create any additional products that you require, if you haven't already done so. Some products, including Game and Game Bundles, might require additional onboarding. For more information, see Product creation and onboarding.