In this lesson, you will learn how to prepare and structure the technical metadata and documentation required to successfully pass submission reviews for Apple’s App Store and Valve’s Steamworks.
As you near the finish line of your deployment phase, your store presence becomes just as important as your netcode. Platforms don't just review your binary; they audit your metadata to ensure compliance, security, and clarity.
The Manifest and Store Presence
For Steam, your app_build configuration file (often managed via the SteamPipe build tool) requires precise definitions of your depot and app IDs. You must ensure that your app_build.vdf correctly points to the installscript.vdf, which tells the Steam client how to register your game’s prerequisites (like DirectX or Visual C++ redistributables) upon first launch.
"AppBuild" {
"AppID" "123456"
"Desc" "Multiplayer Build"
"Depots" {
"123457" "depot_build_123457.vdf"
}
}
Privacy and Technical Compliance
Both the App Store and Steam require a transparent Privacy Policy. Since you have integrated Unity Gaming Services (UGS) and potentially third-party authentication or analytics, your policy must explicitly state:
- Data Collection: What UGS and Relay services track (e.g., player IDs, session metadata).
- Third-Party Sharing: Disclosure of any cross-platform service providers.
- User Deletion: Instructions for how a player can request the removal of their account data.
For the App Store, you must also provide "App Privacy" details within App Store Connect. This involves mapping your telemetry data—such as Crash Data or Performance Data collected via Cloud Diagnostics—to the specific categories defined by Apple. If your game uses matchmaking or voice chat, you are often required to provide a "Content Rating Questionnaire" that accurately flags features like "Unrestricted Web Access" or "Frequent/Intense Profanity" to avoid rejection.
Finally, keep a local documentation/compliance.md file in your repository. This should link your build versions to their respective privacy disclosures, ensuring that if you update your networking stack or add new UGS features, you know exactly which policy disclosures need a corresponding update.
Key Takeaway: Successful platform verification relies on synchronizing your technical manifest definitions with transparent, legally compliant documentation that covers all UGS-powered data collection features.