How do I get access to Apps & Games in partner center?

Question

How do I get access to Apps & Games in partner center?

Vincent 40

I'm trying to package my PWA app for stores using PWAbuilder.com, and to start building the package I need both a Publisher Display Name and a Publisher ID, both of which it tells me I need to get from the "Apps and Games" section of my Microsoft partner center, as per the following instructions on [https://docs.pwabuilder.com/#/builder/windows?id=reserve-your-app.

Log in to the Partner Center Dashboard
Navigate to the Apps and Games section.
Click the + New Product button and select App.

However, when I log into partner center I do not have "Apps and Games" as an option. I submitted a ticket and got some help changing the roles on my account to include the "Developer" role, which supposedly should give me access to "Apps and Games", but it does not. Those same people have now told me that this issue is beyond their scope and have suggested I come here to find help.

First of all, how do I get access to Apps and Games, and secondly, why is this so difficult?

Roy Li - MSFT 34,101 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2023-01-16T05:44:30.0266667+00:00

Could you please tell me if your account is already a developer account？ If not, please register as a developer first. Here is the document: [https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/publish/partner-center/open-a-developer-account
Jeff Ballard 0 Reputation points

2023-05-23T12:24:15.32+00:00

I too have this question but from a Global Admin perspective. I have the Apps and Games workspace available but the users to whom I have assigned the Developer role do not have that workspace.
BenjiCare 10 Reputation points

2023-05-23T16:29:17.2533333+00:00

After going back and forth with support for several months I finally got access to Apps & Games, but not after getting a lot of very confusing, unhelpful and even contradictory answers from support. At one point I was told it could only be done if logged in with a Microsoft account, not an Office 365 account, which makes no sense to me cause an Office 365 account is also a Microsoft account, but this is the world of Microsoft I guess. And now I somehow got it working with a 365 account, so again, that makes no sense. However, apparently, each account can also have a "work" version and a "personal" version, and for this to work you have to use the personal version, for some reason.

I really don't understand why Microsoft has such a convoluted account system, and most importantly, considering how important it is that you are signed into the right account, and the right version of the account, I really don't understand why there are no clear instructions around this when starting down this road, nor why their support people have such a hard time explaining this. (The support is atrocious. They give one sentence replies to queries without even answering the question, and for each question you have to wait 2 to 3 days for an answer. It's really painful to get answers from these guys)

In addition to the account issue, I also ran into several bugs in the system which I had to report, and they had to reset stuff for me and I had to start over several times. Ugh.

Seriously, I started down this road before Christmas and it is now late May and I still don't have my app in the store (because there are yet further issues to be resolved). By contrast, when I wanted to upload my app to the Google store, from start to finish it took me about 1 week. And I never had to contact Google support because their system makes sense, and their documentation is excellent, and I'm not at all a fan of Google, but I have to give credit where credit is due.
Marvin R 0 Reputation points

2023-07-06T14:10:39.3266667+00:00

I have exactly the same issue. @Anonymous can you help out?
Jeff Scharfenberg 0 Reputation points

2023-09-12T14:33:16.8166667+00:00

Has anyone figured out how to get access? I see someone said they did, but rather than let us know a bit more specifically as to HOW, they just complained. Thanks
Vincent Wansink 0 Reputation points

2023-09-13T21:54:08.2033333+00:00

Duplicate
Vincent Wansink 0 Reputation points

2023-09-13T22:02:36.57+00:00

Sorry, I don't know exactly what the key was to get it to work because I went through so many different things that I just don't remember. I do remember that you need to use a personal (not work) Microsoft account, and it can not be a 365 account. And then once you're logged into that account you have to apply to register as a developer.

https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-store/register/

I think that's it, but honestly you might just have to contact their atrocious support from within Partner Center.
Rogério Lima 0 Reputation points

2024-02-14T23:28:35.19+00:00

Im having the same problem. Can anyone help me plz?

1 answer

Your answer

Roy Li - MSFT 34,101 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2023-01-16T05:44:30.0266667+00:00

Could you please tell me if your account is already a developer account？ If not, please register as a developer first. Here is the document: [https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/publish/partner-center/open-a-developer-account
Jeff Ballard 0 Reputation points

2023-05-23T12:24:15.32+00:00

I too have this question but from a Global Admin perspective. I have the Apps and Games workspace available but the users to whom I have assigned the Developer role do not have that workspace.
Marvin R 0 Reputation points

2023-07-06T14:10:39.3266667+00:00

I have exactly the same issue. @Anonymous can you help out?
Jeff Scharfenberg 0 Reputation points

2023-09-12T14:33:16.8166667+00:00

Has anyone figured out how to get access? I see someone said they did, but rather than let us know a bit more specifically as to HOW, they just complained. Thanks
Vincent Wansink 0 Reputation points

2023-09-13T21:54:08.2033333+00:00

Duplicate
Vincent Wansink 0 Reputation points

2023-09-13T22:02:36.57+00:00

Sorry, I don't know exactly what the key was to get it to work because I went through so many different things that I just don't remember. I do remember that you need to use a personal (not work) Microsoft account, and it can not be a 365 account. And then once you're logged into that account you have to apply to register as a developer.

https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-store/register/

I think that's it, but honestly you might just have to contact their atrocious support from within Partner Center.
Rogério Lima 0 Reputation points

2024-02-14T23:28:35.19+00:00

Im having the same problem. Can anyone help me plz?

Answer 1

Dear Microsoft,

You REALLY need to re-evaluate the Microsoft Partner Center app, and application process. There are multiple reports of frustrated customers who struggle to sign up for the Windows Developer program. I am one of those.

The application support atrocious as one user pointed out earlier. It's unbelievable that a company that's supposed to be on the edge of innovation cannot onboard developers into their app store program in a seamless fashion.

The issues listed above are not isolated incidents. REVIEW the process so that it works. DOCUMENT the process completely so that its not its a black box.

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How do I get access to Apps & Games in partner center?

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