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Welcome to XBOX! Before you can develop XBOX games, you need to register as an XBOX partner. This overview guides you through the onboarding journey from start to finish. After you register as an XBOX partner, you can apply to join the ID@XBOX program. Joining ID@XBOX grants access to the tools, resources, and support that creators need to develop, publish, and grow their games on XBOX. Whether you’re a solo developer or a large publishing studio, XBOX has the right programs to help you launch your game, reach millions of players, and collaborate with the XBOX developer community.
There are no fees to register as an XBOX partner or to apply to ID@XBOX.

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Before you begin

To help your application move quickly, make sure you have the following information available.
  • A new personal Microsoft account (MSA) created specifically for ID@XBOX registration. Don’t reuse a personal MSA that you already use for other Microsoft services.
  • Your studio details, including your legally registered business name and any trading (doing business as) name.
  • Your Dun & Bradstreet (DUNS) Number, if you have one. Providing it speeds up business verification.
  • A shipping address for XBOX development kits.

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Onboarding steps

Complete the following steps in order. Each step links to a detailed article.
  1. Register as an XBOX partner: Create your Microsoft account, sign in to the XBOX Partner Dashboard, and submit your business information.
  2. Enroll to Partner Center: Accept the App Developer Agreement (ADA), complete enrollment, and verify your Partner Center account. You can also create or link a Microsoft Entra ID tenant for user access management.
  3. Join ID@XBOX: Submit a game concept and join the ID@XBOX program. Joining ID@XBOX grants access to publishing support, development resources, and XBOX release opportunities.
  4. Complete XBOX onboarding: Finish your Microsoft Vendor (supplier) setup and gain access to the Entertainment Developer Store (EDS) so you can order XBOX development kits.
After you complete XBOX onboarding, you can create XBOX games in Partner Center, enable XBOX services, and begin developing your game by using the GDK. For tutorials, see Game creation and publishing in Partner Center. You can also pitch your game to XBOX for strategic funding opportunities, including XBOX Game Pass and the Developer Acceleration Program. For more information, see Pitch your game.

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How long does onboarding take?

Timelines vary, but it typically takes around two weeks for full XBOX onboarding. Here’s a general guide to the onboarding stages. Want to start developing sooner? At any time after you provide your business information, sign the NDA, and enroll to Partner Center, you can start exploring the Game Development Kit (GDK). Use your Partner Center account to create a GDK game with limited XBOX services. You can start development in secure sandboxes, but you can’t publish your game or use certain features, such as XBOX achievements. If you join ID@XBOX and receive concept approval for your game later, you can get access to full XBOX services and publishing features.

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Next steps

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Common issues and troubleshooting

If you have issues when you register as an XBOX partner, review the following information for common troubleshooting tips. If you created your Partner Center account before you registered as an XBOX partner, your account is automatically linked to your XBOX partner application during the onboarding process. If you didn’t create a Partner Center account already, wait to create one until the XBOX Partner Dashboard prompts you to do so.

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I can’t access the secure GDK downloads and documentation, XBOX policies, or Partner Center.

Access to secure resources requires a user account associated with a Partner Center account onboarded for XBOX. If your XBOX onboarding is still in progress, check the XBOX Partner Dashboard to understand your next step. If you completed XBOX onboarding, sign-in using a Microsoft account associated with your Partner Center account when you access secure resources. If you’re still unable to access the resources, contact your XBOX support team.

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I’m not ready to submit my game concept. Can I still start to develop my game for XBOX?

Yes. At any time after you provide your business information, sign the NDA, and enroll to Partner Center, you can start exploring the Game Development Kit (GDK). Until you submit your game concept for approval, you can create GDK games in Partner Center but you can only use the GDK with limited XBOX services. You can’t submit your game for certification or publishing to the Microsoft Store, and you can’t use certain XBOX features, such as achievements and gamerscore. You can submit your game concept for approval, and complete your XBOX onboarding, at any time.

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I want to use full XBOX services with my game, but I can’t enable them in Partner Center. How do I get access?

When you create a new Game in Partner Center, XBOX services are disabled. Before you can enable full XBOX services, you need to request product onboarding. After you register as an XBOX partner and receive concept approval for your game, send your game’s Store ID to your XBOX support team and request product onboarding. After your game is onboarded, you enable full XBOX services in Game setup. For a step-by-step tutorial, see Create a game and configure game setup.
Last modified on November 11, 2026