Ludo Atlas · Multi-platform Launch Playbook (incl. online-game specifics)¶

Positioning: a complete process map from "the game is done" to "launched on every platform", covering international PC/console/mobile, mainland China channels, mini-games, and the online-game specifics (game license, anti-addiction, real-name verification, operating qualifications). Timeliness statement: platform policies and regulatory rules keep changing; the facts in this document were verified as of 2026-10. Before acting, go by the latest official documentation. For regulatory matters, use a licensed publishing agency or legal channel. Companions: Pitfalls & Anti-patterns · Legal, Patents & Competition · Resources (which includes official links for every platform).

1. Launch Landscape at a Glance¶

Platform	Access & fees	Hard qualification requirements	Review characteristics	Best for
Steam	Steamworks registration, $100 per title (returned once sales reach $1,000)	No game-license requirement (international platform)	Two reviews: store page + build	PC mainstay, worldwide
Epic Games Store	Apply to join	No game-license requirement	Manual review, moderate bar	PC, 88/12 revenue share
GOG	Apply for review	No game-license requirement	Higher quality bar, DRM-free	Polished PC titles
itch.io	Free and instant	None	No review, publish freely	Prototypes / early testing / jams
Xbox / PlayStation / Switch	Platform-holder approval to join	No China game-license requirement	Concept review + strict certification (cert) process	Consoles
App Store (China region)	$99/year	Games require a game license	Guidelines strictly enforced	iOS
Google Play	$25 one-time	No game-license requirement (overseas)	New individual accounts must pass closed testing first (§5.2)	Overseas Android
TapTap	Developer onboarding	Software copyright + game license (for formal mainland China release)	Platform quality review	Mainland China Android/PC
Haoyou Kuaibao	Developer platform	Software copyright + game license	Focus on testing and pre-registration operations	Mainland China mobile games
WeGame / Steam China	Apply to join	Game license	Platform review	Mainland China PC
WeChat / Douyin / Kuaishou mini-games	Entity registration	Software copyright + (a game license to enable virtual payments)	Category + content + qualification review	Mini-games
4399 and similar browser-game/mini-game channels	Open-platform registration	Software copyright + game license	Standard review	Mini-games / browser games
Web platforms such as CrazyGames / Poki	Free registration	None (overseas)	Quality and performance review	HTML5 web games

Universal iron rule: every formal commercial channel in mainland China (app stores, mini-game virtual payments, mainland China PC platforms) requires a game license; overseas platforms such as international Steam do not require a China game license, but you must comply with the target market's regulations (Legal, Patents & Competition §6).

2. Common Preparation Pack (assemble it all before launch)¶

Category	Checklist	Notes
Legal documents	Terms of service, privacy policy, age-rating questionnaire, trademark (recommended)	The privacy policy must match the real data flows (including third-party SDKs)
Qualification documents	Software copyright certificate, game-license documents (mainland China), ICP filing/license (online-game operation)	For software copyright registration see Resources §9.1 (Copyright Protection Center of China)
Store assets	Capsule/key art, screenshots (multiple platforms and resolutions), trailer, store copy (multiple languages)	Specs differ per platform; prepare asset masters and export scripts in advance
Technical capabilities	Achievements, cloud saves, gamepad support, pause/save failure handling, crash reporting	Tick off each item against each platform's "required feature list"
Accounts & payment	Developer accounts, payout accounts, tax forms (W-8BEN etc.)	Keep the payout entity identical to the developer entity to reduce review friction
Version management	Version-number conventions, build pipeline, rollback-capable release packages	See pipelines/build-release

3. PC Platforms¶

3.1 Steam (ten-step process)¶

Register a Steamworks developer account and pay the $100 app fee per title (returned once sales reach $1,000).
Complete tax and bank information (W-8BEN etc.) → decide the payout entity.
Create the app → build the store page (capsule, screenshots, trailer, tags, description) → submit the store page for review (make it public as early as possible to accumulate wishlists).
Integrate the Steamworks SDK: achievements, cloud saves, leaderboards, Workshop (optional), Steam Input.
Upload builds with steamcmd (manage branches with depots: default/beta).
Submit the Build Review; if problems come back, fix per the feedback and resubmit.
Set the release date (changeable at any time); start curator/press outreach two weeks before release.
Configure regional pricing and the launch discount (see the pricing tools in Resources and the pricing bands of comparable titles).
Release: check every language page, system requirements (including the Steam Deck compatibility rating) and refund-policy notices.
After release: validate hotfixes on the beta branch → promote to default; use Steamworks data to watch conversion and regional performance.

Note: AI content disclosure happens in the Steamworks content survey (two categories: pre-generated and runtime-generated; see the AI Workflows Handbook §8); the sooner you get store-page asset specs and a "Coming Soon" page up, the better.

3.2 Epic Games Store¶

Apply to join through the official form → sign the digital distribution agreement (88/12 revenue share) → submit the store page and build for review; you can also apply for EOS (Epic Online Services), a free multiplayer service.
Official entry points: https://store.epicgames.com/ (developers: https://dev.epicgames.com/).

3.3 GOG¶

Submit an application on the official site (manual curation; DRM-free and well-finished titles preferred) → negotiate commercial terms → launch; suits polished indie and classic games.

3.4 itch.io¶

Publish the moment you register: upload a build, customize the page and pricing (you can set your own price), Pay-What-You-Want supported; best suited to prototypes, jams, early testing and community management.

3.5 Web Game Platforms (HTML5)¶

CrazyGames: developer portal https://developer.crazygames.com/, with review focused on playability and performance, and an ad revenue-share model.
Poki: developer platform https://developers.poki.com/, with strict review and a focus on mobile adaptation and load performance.
Suits lightweight gameplay; before launching, always test mobile-browser compatibility and optimize loading.

3.6 Mainland China PC (WeGame / Steam China)¶

Both require a game license and complete compliance materials; WeGame (https://www.wegame.com.cn/) also involves communication around platform-exclusivity policy; Steam China (https://store.steamchina.com/) is the mainland-compliant edition of Steam.

4. Console Platforms (the shared process)¶

Apply to join: ID@Xbox (https://www.xbox.com/en-US/developers), PlayStation Partners (https://partners.playstation.net/), Nintendo Developer Portal (https://developer.nintendo.com/).
Concept review / incubation: submit a pitch and a playable demo; on approval, sign the NDA and development agreement.
Dev kits and certification: obtain the development kits; develop against the platform's technical requirements (TRC/TCR etc.).
Certification: submit a candidate build for review; key checks: error handling (network unplug / power loss / full save storage), UI standards, multiple languages, achievements, parental controls.
Release: store page, age ratings, regions and pricing → launch.

Certification is the biggest schedule variable in console launches: budget 2–6 weeks (longer for a first one); a failed certification means fixing everything and re-queuing, so leave buffer in the release date.

5. Mobile Platforms¶

5.1 App Store¶

Process: Apple developer account ($99/year) → create the app record in App Store Connect → metadata and screenshots → TestFlight beta → submit for review → release (manual/automatic).
China region: games must provide a game license to launch (no license, no launch; overseas releases are not subject to this).
Common rejection reasons: 4.3 (duplicates/reskins), 2.1 (insufficient completeness), 3.1 (circumventing IAP), 5.1 (privacy labels / ATT mismatch), infringing assets.
Review guidelines: https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/

5.2 Google Play¶

Process: developer account ($25 one-time) → create the app → Data safety form, content rating (IARC), target API compliance → test tracks (internal/closed/open) → production release.
New individual developer accounts: before applying for production release you must first complete closed testing (at least 12 testers for 14 consecutive days). The policy is revised over time (in some periods and statements it was 20 testers); go by the latest statement in Play Console: https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/14151465
Common rejection reasons: the Data safety form not matching reality, permission abuse, infringing store assets.

5.3 Mainland China Android Channels (TapTap / Tencent MyApp / Huawei / Xiaomi / OPPO / vivo / Haoyou Kuaibao)¶

In common: a corporate entity + software copyright + a game license (for formal commercialization); each channel has its own developer console and launch-materials process.
Process outline: register a channel developer account → submit qualifications (business license / software copyright / game license) → upload the package (channels may require hardening/signing) → channel review → first-launch / joint-operation setup.
TapTap (https://developer.taptap.cn/): includes PC distribution and community management; Haoyou Kuaibao (https://open.3839.com/): focused on testing and pre-registration.

6. Mini-Game Platforms¶

6.1 WeChat Mini-Games (the most granular rules; the official docs are authoritative)¶

Entity: individual entities can publish free mini-games (ad monetization); paid games require a corporate entity.
Qualifications: enabling virtual payments (IAP) requires submitting a game license (the online game publication number issuance document) + software copyright + a letter of authorization; free games that don't enable payments don't need a game license (the platform helps integrate the real-name system in a unified way).
Anti-addiction integration: companies that enable virtual payments must complete corporate registration, add the game and bind channels in the Publicity Department (National Press and Publication Administration) real-name verification system (https://wlc.nppa.gov.cn/fcm_company/index.html), and sync the information to the WeChat platform (guide: https://developers.weixin.qq.com/minigame/introduction/guide/zzsh-iap.html).
Review focus: category choice (a game category cannot be changed), content compliance, no circumventing virtual payments (no directing users to external payment).
Release flow: upload via the developer tools → submit for review → publish; beta and trial builds are supported as separate tracks.

6.2 Douyin Mini-Games¶

Register on the ByteDance Open Platform (https://developer.open-douyin.com/) → mini-game category qualifications → integrate real-name and anti-addiction → submit for review and publish; distribution relies on short-video + livestream attachment, and the operating playbook differs from WeChat's.

6.3 Kuaishou / Huawei / OPPO / vivo / Xiaomi / Baidu¶

All follow: open-platform registration → qualification submission → review and release; qualification requirements are similar to WeChat's (software copyright as the baseline; payment features need a game license); traffic characteristics differ per platform, so focus operations on "1 primary + 1 secondary".

7. Online-Game Specifics (mainland China; the key section)¶

7.1 Online Games vs. Standalone: Launch-Compliance Differences¶

Item	Standalone (mainland channels)	Online games / with in-app purchases
Software copyright	Required	Required
Game license (ISBN)	Required for formal mainland channels	Required, and mandatory for paid operation
ICP filing / license	Ordinary website filing	The operating entity needs an ICP license (one of the game-license application materials)
Anti-addiction / real-name	Required as soon as it's online	Mandatory (integration with the NPPA system)
Probability disclosure	If gacha is included	Mandatory disclosure of probabilities and pity guarantees
Content self-review	Self-policed	Requires a self-review system and self-inspection reports

7.2 The Full Game-License Application Process (online game publication number)¶

Prerequisites:

Copyright: software copyright registration certificate (or copyright documents that meet the requirements); the copyright owner must be a Chinese citizen or a domestically funded enterprise.
Operating entity: business license + ICP license (Telecommunications and Information Services Business Operating License); the publishing unit must hold online-publishing qualifications (usually you file through a qualified publisher/agency).
Sufficient completeness: a runnable build, stable servers, complete content.
Content compliance: no prohibited content (the red lines: politics / religion / pornography / gambling, etc.); prepare the full Chinese script text + a banned-word library.

Application flow: prepare materials → submit to the provincial publishing administration → after provincial review and approval, report to the National Press and Publication Administration → approval → the approval document and game license are issued. (Imported games follow a separate "foreign copyright owner authorization" channel, with materials including the National Copyright Administration's approval of copyright contract registration, etc.)

Main materials checklist (subject to the latest official requirements): provincial request document, publishing application / application form, review report, copyright proof, business license + ICP license, game screenshots (≥10, including the main interface), full Chinese script text and banned-word library, anti-addiction system configuration description, review test accounts (high/mid/low level), demo video (including the healthy-game advice, combat demonstration, etc.), client/installer, etc.

Timelines and cadence: the statutory approval time is 80 working days from acceptance (the provincial stage adds its own review time); in practice, from preparation to getting the number is measured in months (approval results are published monthly: https://www.nppa.gov.cn/bsfw/jggs/yxspjg/). Plan the game license 6–12 months ahead.

Notes: one application per game; major version changes require a change application; after launch, report operating information to the local authorities within the prescribed time.

7.3 Anti-Addiction and Real-Name Verification (mandatory)¶

System integration: the online-game anti-addiction real-name verification system of the Publicity Department (National Press and Publication Administration): https://wlc.nppa.gov.cn/fcm_company/index.html. The flow: corporate registration → add the game (name / approval document number / ISBN) → channel binding → in-game real-name integration and data reporting.
Minor-protection rules (adults are not restricted): play is allowed for 1 hour only on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and statutory public holidays, 20:00–21:00; top-up limits: under 8, no top-ups; ages 8–16, ≤50 yuan per transaction and ≤200 yuan per month; ages 16–18, ≤100 yuan per transaction and ≤400 yuan per month; guest mode must not offer payments or top-ups.
Paid operation without a game license or without system integration is a clear violation (see Pitfalls & Anti-patterns §8).

7.4 Other Operating Qualifications¶

ICP filing/license: file the website and server domains; paid operation requires an ICP license (one of the game-license materials).
Cybersecurity classified protection (MLPS 2.0): for systems with user data and networked services, complete classification filing and assessment as local requirements demand (especially for larger-scale products).
Network Culture Business License (wenwangwen): game-related approvals have gone through reforms; whether you need to apply depends on the latest position of the local culture and tourism authority.
Payment compliance: in-app purchases go through WeChat Pay / Alipay / store IAP; do not circumvent the platform payment system (explicitly required for mini-games).

7.5 What You Can Do Before You Have a Game License¶

Allowed: free testing (with no payments of any kind), pre-registration / wishlist operations, events / press exposure, paid-acquisition pre-testing (per platform rules).
Not allowed: charging in any form (virtual payments / item sales / memberships); mini-game virtual payments require a game license; "selling test activation keys" also carries compliance risk (go by the regulator's position).
The safe strategy: in mainland China go "free testing → monetize after the number is granted", while also evaluating going overseas first (overseas platforms do not require a China game license).

7.6 Overseas Release Flow¶

The full overseas-platform flow is in §3–§5 of this playbook; no China game license is required, but you do need: age ratings for the target market (IARC/ESRB/PEGI), privacy compliance (GDPR/CCPA/COPPA), tax (W-8BEN/VAT), and store localization.

8. After Launch: Updates, Hotfixes and Service Shutdown¶

Item	Key points
PC updates	Steam publishes instantly (pre-validate on the beta branch); Epic/GOG each have their own backends
Console patches	Every patch goes through certification (budget 1–3 weeks)
Mobile updates	Every update is reviewed again (budget 1–7 days); for hot updates, mind the platforms' prohibitive terms
Mini-game updates	Platform review (usually 1–3 days)
Shutdown plan	An advance notice period (some overseas jurisdictions have case-law requirements; in mainland China follow platform rules) + a compensation scheme + player data export options

9. Common Review Rejections and Countermeasures¶

Platform	Typical rejection reasons	Countermeasures
App Store	4.3 reskins/duplicates, 2.1 completeness, 3.1 circumventing IAP, 5.1 privacy	Provide a differentiation statement; submit only once completeness is up to standard; route all payments through IAP
Google Play	Data safety form mismatches, target API too low, permissions	Refill the form to match the data flows; upgrade the target API
Steam	Missing content survey (AI), asset specs	Answer truthfully; produce assets to spec
WeChat mini-games	Category/qualification mismatches, circumventing virtual payments	Have software copyright/game license ready; route payments only through virtual payments
General	Infringing assets (fonts/music/icons)	An asset ledger + licensing proof (Legal, Patents & Competition §2)

10. Launch Checklist (final version)¶

Qualifications: software copyright ✓ game license (mainland China) ✓ ICP (online games) ✓ trademark (recommended) ✓ rating questionnaire ✓
Documents: terms of service ✓ privacy policy ✓ (matching the SDK data flows) content self-review report (mainland China) ✓
Store: capsule/screenshots/trailer/all-language copy ✓ pricing and discounts ✓ release-date buffer ✓
Technical: achievements/cloud saves/gamepad ✓ crash monitoring ✓ hotfix-process drills ✓ device-matrix testing ✓
Anti-addiction: real-name system integration ✓ minor restrictions ✓ probability disclosure (if applicable) ✓
Emergency: day-one hotfix plan ✓ support channel ✓ community announcement templates ✓