Xbox is changing its rules concerning achievements and Gamerscore. According to a new report, Xbox Game Certification Rules have new requirements that will prevent a game from being published if you can unlock all or most of its achievements by doing absolutely nothing at all.

This is according to a source speaking with TrueAchievement, who noted a flood of new games where players could unlock all achievements and gain 1,000 Gamerscore by simply leaving the game running for a few minutes. The most egregious example came from Aabs Animals, a game that only allows you to move the camera around a 3D model of a kitten. You don't even need to pan the camera around to unlock this game's full 1,000 Gamerscore--all you need to do is leave it on for 16 minutes.

Gamerscore doesn't typically mean anything in a material sense. It's mostly just a number that hangs out under your Gamertag to give you bragging rights over your friends. Sometimes, however, Gamerscore will be tied to Xbox Game Pass quests which can earn Microsoft Rewards, which can then be redeemed for real-world items.

Thanks for bringing this to our attention; we will take a look.

— 🇺🇦 Chris 🇺🇦 Charla 🇺🇦 (@iocat) February 27, 2023

Sources say that an update was made on May 1 to change the rules surrounding achievements and Gamerscore for games Xbox publishes. Rule XR-055 has been updated to require "All achievements [to] represent a thorough exploration of or engagement with game content." There have also been three new banned features added to the rules that would bar games from being published if they satisfy even one of them.

All achievements can be unlocked within a few minutes of starting the game

Achievements do not represent a thorough exploration of or engagement with game content

Achievements can be unlocked without any (or minimal) user input unless required as part of the core gameplay loop

It’s speculated that these rules were created as a result of Aabs Animals being brought to the attention of ID@Xbox’s Chris Charla back in February. The game seems like it would be disqualified under the first and third rules, although it remains available for download. TrueAchievements also noted several similar games have recently been published, although those could have received certification before the new rule went through on May 1.

In other Xbox news, Starfield Direct will is coming to a cinema near you. The upcoming sci-fi RPG from Bethesda is getting its own dedicated presentation as part of the Xbox Games Showcase next month, and it seems like Xbox wants to stack theatres with eager gamers that won't even need to pay for the price of admission or a bag of popcorn. Xbox will reportedly comp the ticket price and even provide $10 towards snacks. All you gotta do is sign up for Xbox Fanfest by May 31, with tickets being emailed out on June 1. It seems unlikely that this will be a worldwide event, but North American folks should probably get their info in. If nothing else, it's a free bag of popcorn.

Posted: May 29, 2023 11:49 am
Related Forum: Xbox Forum

Source: https://www.thegamer.com/xbox-banning-easy-gamerscore-games/