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- Titles that attempt to circumvent, avoid, or manipulate the Trial Mode experience should not pass Peer Review.
- Creating a “Free” Xbox LIVE Indie Game by including all game content within the trial mode and/or offering no incentive for purchase such as replayability.
- Revealing nothing of your title within the trial mode.
- The trial mode’s purpose is to give the consumer insight into the actual game experience. To not include an accurate trial mode is to mislead the customer and will not be tolerated.
- Xbox LIVE Indie Games is not a video hosting service.
- Titles that have nothing more than a menu that directs people to videos should not and will not pass Peer Review
- Microsoft retains the right to remove your title at any time for any reason. We are not required to give you notice. We are not required to pay you out for any sales of a title we take down.
- Peer Review is serious business.
- All Creators should participate in this part of the process.
- Forum participation in Peer Review is not currently required, but very important.
- Batch Reviewing (submitting a large number of reviews in a short period of time) is not currently forbidden, but can raise red flags. You can avoid suspicion by making sure to leave feedback in each game’s Peer Review forum.
Any titles currently on the system that violate these new rules, but passed Peer Review before 9/28/2009, will remain on the system for 90 days. The creators of any titles in violation of these rules have between now and 12/28/2009 to make updates to their titles and pass Peer Review to remain on the system. If a title in violation is not corrected it will be taken down on 12/28/2009.
We’ve created this process to put the power of development and distribution into your hands. When in doubt use common sense. Recent changes to Peer Review are a direct result of your input. The grand majority of the 500+ games currently on our system have nothing to worry about! To the few Creators that continue to push the envelope in a negative way - this will no longer be tolerated. We refuse to let a few bad apples ruin our system for all. We will be vigilant in the protection of this system. On a happier note to all of you we say thank you and keep making (and playtesting and reviewing!) great games!
