Xbox is changing its rules regarding achievements and Gamerscore. According to a new report, the Xbox Game Certification Rules have new requirements that will prevent a game from being released if you can unlock all or most of its achievements by doing absolutely nothing.
Sources who spoke to TrueAchievements noted a flurry of new games where players could unlock all achievements and earn 1,000 Gamerscore simply by letting the game run for a few minutes. The most notorious 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 rotate the camera to unlock the full 1000 Gamerscore of this game; all you have to do is leave it on for 16 minutes.
Gamerscore doesn’t usually mean anything in a material sense. Mostly, it’s just a number you hang below your Gamertag to give you bragging rights about your friends. Sometimes, however, Gamerscore will be tied to Xbox Game Pass missions that can earn Microsoft Rewards, which can then be redeemed for real-world items.
Sources say an update was made on May 1 to change the rules surrounding achievements and Gamerscore for games that Xbox publishes. Rule XR-055 has been updated to require that “All achievements represent thorough exploration of or engagement with in-game content.” Three new criteria have also been added that would prevent games from being published if they meet one of them.
- All achievements can be unlocked within a few minutes of starting the game.
- Achievements do not represent an exhaustive exploration or commitment to the content of the game.
- Achievements can be unlocked without any (or minimal) user intervention, unless required as part of the main gameplay loop.
It is speculated that these rules were created as a result of Aabs Animals coming to the attention of [email protected]. Chris Chat back in February. It seems that the game would be disqualified under the first and third rules, although it is still available for download. TrueAchievements also noted that several similar games have been released recently, though they might have received certification before the new rule was approved on May 1.
In other Xbox news, Starfield Direct is coming to a theater near you. Bethesda’s upcoming sci-fi RPG is getting its own dedicated presentation as part of Xbox Games Showcase next month, and it looks like Xbox wants to fill theaters with eager gamers who won’t even have to pay the price of admission or a bag. of popcorn. Xbox will reportedly offset the ticket price and even provide $10 towards snacks. All you have to do is sign up for Xbox Fanfest by May 31, and tickets will be sent via email on June 1. It seems unlikely that this is a worldwide event, but the people of North America should probably get their information. At the very least, it’s a free bag of popcorn.
