Xbox used the Game Developers Conference (GDC) this week to announce updates to how independent games are surfaced on its storefront, alongside the first public details of a previously unannounced project called Project Helix.
The company said it has adjusted its algorithms and platform policies to improve discovery for smaller titles, including a reduction in repeated bundle listings appearing in the New Releases section, which had made it harder for individual games to stand out.
Xbox said editorial placement on the PC Xbox Experience and the console Xbox Store remains available to independent developers, and that its ID@Xbox and Indie Selects programmes continue to promote games not available through its Game Pass subscription service.
Chris Charla, who leads the ID@Xbox programme, was direct about the standards the platform expects from developers using the store.
"Our developer code of conduct is clear: folks can't try to crowd out other games, and it's important to us that we host a store where every game is treated fairly," Charla wrote in the announcement.
The GDC week also included an ID@Xbox Play Anywhere showcase highlighting independent titles, and the company said it held hundreds of one-to-one meetings with developers during the event.
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Xbox said further changes to its promotion systems would roll out soon, without providing a specific timeline.
No details of Project Helix were included in the announcement beyond the confirmation that GDC marked its first public mention.
The recap
- Xbox showcased ID@Xbox updates and games at GDC
- The company held hundreds of meetings with game developers
- Xbox will roll out more algorithmic promotion changes soon
