Note
Access to this page requires authorization. You can try signing in or changing directories.
Access to this page requires authorization. You can try changing directories.
After passing Certification, all games need to be published to the RETAIL sandbox to make them available to customers.
Request revenue SKU creation
Before you can publish to the RETAIL sandbox, products configured to use the Reseller pricing model must have a revenue SKU. Products without a revenue SKU will be blocked from publishing to RETAIL, but can still be published to development sandboxes, or submitted for Certification. To request revenue SKU configuration, send the Store ID for your product to your Microsoft contactsAuthorization required.
Submit your game for publishing
Note
Only packages, pricing and availability information, and Store listings in the Main branch can be published to the RETAIL sandbox. Content in other branches can't be used. Use the Import functionality where available to copy your configuration to the Main branch.
Sign in to Partner Center.
On the Home page, select Apps and games.
On the Apps and games | Overview page, select your title. Or, enter your game's name in the search bar and then select your game.
On the Game overview page, select Review and publish near the page title.
On the Game title | Review and publish page, go to the Publish to dropdown, and select RETAIL. Publish from will be unavailable because only the Main branch can be used as the source.
Review the status of the different modules. All modules need to be completed. Go to the individual pages to complete them. You won't be able to publish if any of them are incomplete.
Under Notes for certification, enter any information to help Microsoft test your game.
For Submission notification audience, select Click here to view or change who can receive submission status notifications for this product.
Select Publish to submit your game for publishing. Each stage in the publishing process must be completed before the game can advance to the next stage. The SLAs below provide an estimated timeline for each stage.
- Processing: < 6 hours
- Certification: < 5 days - Products need to be certified before they can be published to the Microsoft Store. For details see Certification.
- Publishing: < 6 hours
Note
If any modules haven't been Certified before you start Publishing, they'll be submitted for certification before the publish will proceed. If you fail certification, resolve any issues before you try to Publish again.
Tip
Use the Review and publish page to help you track the items that need to be completed before publishing.
Acquiring your game in RETAIL
After the game has published to the RETAIL sandbox, you can acquire it using a Promotional Code. To get started, go to the Apps and games workspace in Partner Center, and then select Promotional codes.
Your game will be available for customers to purchase starting on the Release date you configured in the Pricing and availability.
Testing your game in RETAIL
We recommend that all base game products are tested in RETAIL before their release. For information about recommended tests to complete, see Recommendations for testing in RETAIL.
Updating your game
You can submit updates for any module by making changes in Partner Center and then publishing them to the RETAIL sandbox. This includes updating the game packages to release new features or fix issues, changing Store listings assets to keep your Microsoft Store page fresh, or changing the price. Some changes, like updating your game packages or changing your price, might require certification review and approval before they can be published to RETAIL.