Over the years, many Xbox players have relied on quick indie games to inflate their Gamerscore – a tactic Microsoft has tolerated, until now. In a recent policy update reported by TrueAchievements, Xbox is officially cracking down on “triple-stack” games, where developers publish identical versions of the exact same title across Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC solely to offer multiple sets of achievements.
Going forward, Microsoft states that releasing duplicate games without a “distinct experience” violates Store Policy 10.1. Developers who want their games on multiple platforms will now be required to support features like Xbox Play Anywhere or Game Binding, which unifies achievement lists and save data across devices.
While this means fewer easy Gamerscore opportunities for achievement hunters, it’s a huge win for the ecosystem. Eliminating duplicate listings tagged with platforms will clear up store clutter and give legitimate, unique indie games a better shot at the spotlight.