Why You Should Develop a Game for Xbox Game Pass for PC
Xbox Game Pass for PC is not just another sales channel—it's a storefront where hundreds of thousands of active PC gamers see your game every month.
The subscription removes the main barrier to purchase: the user doesn't have to wonder "is the game worth its money?" They simply download the project and try it, which means your game gets a chance to receive genuine attention without aggressive advertising.
For a developer, this is a predictable model: the game enters the catalog with guaranteed reach, and players get value through a subscription rather than a one-time payment.
This format works great for mid-sized and large PC games that want to quickly build an audience and get feedback. As a result, you get not only installations but also a base of loyal users who stick with the project for a long time and form a community around the brand.
Many clients worry that a subscription will "devalue" the game. In practice, it's the opposite: being featured in the Xbox Game Pass for PC catalog gives a powerful boost to visibility.
Players who discover your project through a subscription are more likely to return to it, buy add-ons, and recommend the game to friends—you get organic growth without additional marketing budgets.
Here at truetech.by, we help you go through this entire journey: from concept and prototype to technical preparation and launch into the subscription.
We have more than 10 years of experience in PC game development, and we know how to create a project that will be in demand specifically in subscription service catalogs.
We take on all stages of game development for Xbox Game Pass for PC and deliver the product to release—with clear timelines, transparent communication, and a focus on results.
What Benefits You Get from Working with Us
Getting into Xbox Game Pass for PC is not just a game release—it's access to millions of active subscribers who are already ready to try new titles. The subscription removes the main barrier—price—so users willingly test projects from indie studios and major publishers.
We support game development at every stage to ensure it passes selection and lands in the catalog on favorable terms.
Here are five key benefits the client gets:
- Audience Reach. The game immediately appears in front of the service's multi-million audience, including those who rarely buy games at a standalone price. This expands the player base many times over compared to classic sales in digital stores.
- Predictable Monetization. Subscription payouts and in-game purchases provide steady income for the entire time the game is in the catalog. For indie studios, this is a chance to get ongoing funding; for publishers, it's a way to diversify their portfolio without unnecessary risks.
- Increased Visibility. The catalog is promoted by the platform itself: the game gets into main collections, personalized recommendations, and the service's social media. This is extra advertising you don't have to pay for separately, and the brand starts to be searched for even beyond the platform.
- Additional Sales. Subscribers who liked the game are much more willing to buy add-ons, cosmetics, and merchandise. There is also a higher chance they will subscribe to studio news and support the next project.
- Long-Term Partnership. A successful launch opens access to joint promotions, exclusive materials, and technical support from the platform. This turns a one-off development into an ongoing source of growth.
We handle preparing the game to meet catalog requirements: optimization, localization, setting up online modes, and technical support after launch. As a result, you get a product that is ready for publication and quickly delivers measurable results.
Game Development Formats for Xbox Game Pass for PC
When choosing a development format, you determine not only the budget but also the degree of your involvement in the process.
A game for Xbox Game Pass for PC requires strict certification, stable performance across different configurations, and regular updates after release—so it's important to have a responsible contractor at every stage.
We work in three formats: full-cycle development, team augmentation, and co-production. In any case, you get clear timelines, transparent communication, and a result that passes Microsoft's moderation.
| Format | For Whom | What the Client Gets |
|---|---|---|
| Turnkey Development | Business owners and publishers who need a finished product | Full cycle: from concept to release on Xbox Game Pass for PC. You receive a game that has already passed technical checks and is ready for launch. |
| Project Support | Teams that have their own game but lack resources for updates | External specialists handle tasks related to patches, content, and certification. Your project stays on the release schedule and retains audience interest. |
| Co-Development | Companies that want to release a game and grow an internal studio | We work together with your developers, hand over processes, and set up production so you can release future projects independently. |
In any format, you get a single point of responsibility and clear control stages. Before we start, we define the scope, timelines, and readiness criteria—we handle the rest, while you monitor results at key milestones.
How Game Development Works: Stages and Timelines
Game development is not a "black box" but a structured process with clear stages and checkpoints. We set deadlines in the contract, break the work into five steps, and show the client an intermediate build every week. This way you see progress and can influence the product instead of waiting for the result blindly.
- Brief and idea audit. We define goals, target audience, and key mechanics. The output is a document with tasks and a cost estimate.
- Prototype. We create a playable demo version to test how engaging the mechanics are and how they are received by players.
- Production. We develop content, graphics, and sound, delivering a working build for testing every 2–3 weeks.
- Testing and balancing. We fine-tune difficulty and eliminate bugs—using both the team and external testers.
- Release and support. We prepare the game for publication on Xbox Game Pass for PC, go through certification, and provide post-launch support.
For clarity, the timelines by stage:
| Stage | Timeline | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Brief | 1–2 weeks | Clear technical specification and budget |
| Prototype | 2–4 weeks | Demo for presentation |
| Production | 2–5 months | Full-fledged game |
| Testing | 2–4 weeks | Polished version |
| Release | 2–3 weeks | Game in the catalog |
Process transparency is what clients most often highlight. "Previously, we worked with contractors who disappeared for six months, but here we saw results every week and understood what we were paying for," says the owner of partner studio Friendly Fox Games.
What Is Included in the Game Delivery Package for the Client
The standard project delivery includes not just the assembled game, but a complete set of materials and rights that make you the full owner of the product. Below is the delivery contents you receive along with the game.
- Ready-made builds for key platforms, including Xbox Game Pass for PC. These are already tested installation files—they are immediately ready to be submitted for moderation and publication.
- Full project source code in Unity with all scripts and settings. You are not dependent on a specific contractor—the code can be handed to any team or further developed independently.
- Comprehensive documentation: architecture description, build and deployment instructions, update procedures. This allows your developers to quickly get up to speed without a long "onboarding" period.
- All project assets—models, textures, animations, sounds, fonts, as well as source files in editable formats. You remain the owner of every element of the game.
- A complete package of rights and licenses: exclusive rights to the game and a commercial license. You can freely develop and monetize the product without additional royalties.
- Internal instructions for your team—guides for administration, technical support, and working with gaming platforms.
- Service scripts and automation tools that simplify releasing updates and reduce the time needed to prepare new versions.
This package guarantees that you are not tied to the developer after project delivery. Even if the team changes, you have everything you need to develop and support the game on your own.
Case Study: How We Launched a Game in a Subscription
We took a ready-made PC game from an indie studio and prepared it for launch on Xbox Game Pass for PC: passed all checks, packaged the required versions, helped with localization, and tested it on different configurations.
Before that, the developers had only sold the game directly—entering the subscription opened access to an audience that cannot be reached through a regular store.
For the studio Northlight Games, this was their first experience working with a subscription, so all communication with curators and the technical requirements fell on us. The client only had to refine content—we handled the bureaucracy, release schedule, and quality control.
Launch Results
In the first two weeks, the game was launched by more than 130,000 unique players—8 times more than during the entire previous year of sales on Steam.
The seventh-day retention rate was 42%: the subscription audience turned out to be even more loyal than buyers who were used to returning the game after completing it.
The share of repeat visits after the first launch increased by 25%, and players who had never heard of the studio appeared in community chats.
For the developers, this meant not just one-time reach—the subscription led to a 30% increase in direct sales in other stores over the quarter.
Client Testimonial
The studio's head said: "We expected some flow of users, but we didn't think the subscription launch would become the main event of the year for us.
The entire preparation took less than a month—without you, we definitely wouldn't have made the release window." Three months later, the studio returned with a new project—for the next game, we included Xbox Game Pass for PC support right from the first day of development.
How to Choose a Development Format for Your Project?
The development format is not a matter of preference; it's a consequence of your task, resources, and timelines.
If you want to release a finished PC game on Xbox Game Pass for PC with steady subscription revenue, you need the full cycle: from concept to release and subsequent support.
If the task is already partially solved—you have a prototype or design document drafts—it's enough to augment the team for a few months.
The budget determines not only the scale but also the format of cooperation. A full turnkey cycle provides a predictable timeline and someone responsible for the result, but requires an upfront investment.
Staged development with the price fixed at each step reduces risks and allows you to control spending. Supporting your team is the most economical option if you already have the expertise but lack experience specifically in preparing a game for the Game Pass catalog.
We start with an analysis: we clarify the target audience, platform, monetization, and desired timelines. Only after that do we propose a format—most often it's a hybrid, where we build part of the functionality and you handle the rest.
It's important that the choice of format solves the task of getting onto Game Pass with minimal costs, rather than turning into a dogma of "just make it as cheap as possible."
Advice: before choosing a format, define your goal—for example, attract new subscribers or expand your PC audience. The scope of work and payment scheme are then tailored to that goal.
We will assess your situation for free, calculate the labor required, and propose the optimal option—this way you save both money and time without unexpected overpayments.
The answer to the question "which format" always starts with your task and resources. Write to us or call—in a single call, we'll lay out the possible options, their cost, and timelines. You'll be able to choose the one that suits you best.
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About Cooperation
Cooperation always starts with trust, and trust is built on transparent terms.
We have been releasing games for many years and know what doubts clients have before starting: "Will I lose my rights?" "What if something goes wrong?" We answer the main questions—no fine print and no hidden conditions.
Who owns the rights to the game?
All rights to the game, code, and content remain with you. We provide the complete set of source materials after the work is completed and, if necessary, train your team—you will be able to develop the product further without being dependent on us.
What guarantees are there that the project will be delivered on time?
We fix the stages, timelines, and final result in the contract. We show progress at each stage so you can see how the project is going and adjust tasks as needed. If a delay occurs due to our fault, we compensate for the risks according to the contract terms.
What if the game does not pass platform moderation?
We account for the requirements of Xbox Game Pass for PC at the planning stage. We conduct internal checks and prepare the complete package of documents for publication.
If the platform requests changes, we support the project until it successfully releases—without any extra surprises.
Your risks are covered by the contract, your rights are protected, and the result is a working game that enters the subscription service catalog. Still have questions? Just write to us—we'll discuss the details of your project.Ready to Start? Leave a Request for Development
Leave a request for development, and we'll contact you within one business day. We'll discuss your idea, goals, and expectations so you immediately understand where to start, what next steps await you, and what results you'll get.
Here's what happens after you get in touch:
- We'll contact you within one business day and clarify the tasks.
- We'll help you formulate the concept: genre, mechanics, target audience.
- We'll suggest several implementation options based on your goals and budget.
- We'll give realistic timelines—from setting the task to release.
- We'll show you our portfolio and case studies of similar projects.
- We'll prepare a contract with guarantees and transparent stages.
- We'll start development and keep you updated on progress.
After submitting the request, you'll receive a personalized project map: what we'll do, in what order, what stages we'll go through, and what to pay attention to. This will save time, address questions, and set benchmarks for your team.
You can get in touch using any convenient method—leave your phone number or write to us in a messenger. We respond quickly, without formalities or unnecessary emails.
It's best to start today: the sooner you send your request, the faster the game reaches players. Leave your contacts—from there, we'll guide you by the hand and take care of everything else.