Uh-oh — bad news for achievement farmers.
Multinational tech titan Microsoft is reportedly launching new guidelines to help curb spammy game bundles listed on its Xbox Store.
According to a new TrueAchievements report, the Xbox parent company reached out to developers as it moves to discontinue spammy downloads from its online storefront. The article cites an email sent from Microsoft to devs, explaining an “increase in bundle spamming,” which it says has “resulted in a large number of complaints from both developers and consumers.”
The memo continues:
“After an investigation, Microsoft has determined that bundles focusing on different platforms with undifferentiated content in an attempt to maximize digital shelf space are incompatible with Section 3 of the Developer Code of Conduct, as they confuse players and are an attempt to manipulate the search results for a game … We will no longer enable bundles that contain different platform SKUs of the same game. Additionally, other attempts to manipulate the Store search results may result in bundles being delisted or not granted.”
Microsoft states that its new upload criteria curb cruddy, low-quality software from muddying the “Store ecosystem, thereby preserving a fair and enjoyable browsing environment for all users and publishers.” The brand’s new publishing standards forbid devs from releasing “different SKUs of the same game … unless there is meaningful differentiation in content.” Microsoft says inappropriately listed bundles could potentially be removed from the platform.
If you’ve perused the Microsoft Store recently, then you’ve likely already scrolled past seemingly identical listings for one game. This manipulative move from devs boosts game visibility while appealing to players in the business of bumping up their Gamerscore. When one team uploads three or four iterations of the same software, it’s irksome; when MANY do it, the digital storefront is rendered nearly unnavigable. At best, these spammy listings serve achievement farmers trying to get their yuks. At worst, they obscure small, well-meaning teams’ organic listings.
Xbox’s digital storefront isn’t the only one impacted by problematic uploads; low-quality AI-generated “slop” has invaded Steam, PlayStation Store, and the Nintendo eShop, overshadowing indie teams’ very real listings. Earlier this year, Sony made mention of efforts to put the kibosh on storefront-clogging shovelware, though more recent feedback from gamers and industry voices shows that not much has changed.
Unless Xbox and other platforms stop rewarding bad behavior, the issue’s likely to persist. Here’s hoping players (me) can soon resume their late-night eShop doomscrolling routines sooner rather than later.
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A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.
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