Microsoft takes measures against spam of game packs on the Xbox Store, out easy achievements

The company introduces new rules to avoid duplicate versions from saturating the digital store and confusing players.

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Over the past year, the Microsoft Store has seen an increase in the release of “easy” games to achieve achievements, along with multiple packages that include the same versions of a title on different platforms. A practice that, in addition to generating complaints among users, has caused the new releases page to fill up with almost identical entries.

As reported by TrueAchievements, examples like Temari Trials —with up to four different listings in the store— have highlighted a problem that affected the visibility of other games and the overall order of the platform. The situation led Microsoft to investigate these practices and establish drastic changes in its policy.

New rules for publishing bundles on the Xbox Store

Through a statement to developers, Microsoft has confirmed that it will prohibit bundles that contain different SKUs of the same game without significant changes in content. This measure aims to prevent a single title from occupying multiple slots in the Store’s listings.

The new criteria include:

• Bundles cannot be formed solely by different platform versions of the same game (Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC) unless they have clear differences in content or features.

• Valid differentiations include Standard, Deluxe, or Ultimate editions with unique content, or versions with notable changes in resolution or performance.

• It will not be allowed for a product with minimal variations to occupy an excessive number of spaces in the new releases section or in search results.

• Bundles cannot use the platform as the only distinctive element between versions of the same content.

• The content and visual presentation of each bundle must be clearly different to avoid confusion.

• The creation of bundles with the objective of manipulating discounts, searches, or the Store’s discovery system is prohibited.

A step towards cleaning up the store and improving the experience

Microsoft has stated that this measure is part of its commitment to maintaining the integrity of the Xbox Store, ensuring that navigation is clear and that players can find relevant content without having to filter out redundant versions.

With these new guidelines, the company hopes to reduce clutter in the store, improve the shopping experience, and put an end to practices that sought to take advantage of the system for visibility.