Microsoft Store Policy 7.20: Xbox Cross-Play Rules [2026]

Microsoft has quietly rewritten the rulebook that governs every game sold through the Microsoft Store and the Xbox network. Version 7.20 of the Microsoft Store Policies, published September 15, 2026, takes effect October 22, 2026, and it does something no prior revision has attempted: it forces publishers to treat Xbox consoles, Windows PCs, and companion apps as one continuous environment rather than three separate storefronts.