Free games play on their page
A free game's store page opens with the player at the top, sized to the first screen. Players don't buy or claim anything first.
| Visitor | What happens |
|---|---|
| Signed-in, verified player | The game starts loading right away. |
| Existing guest | The game starts loading right away. |
| Signed-out visitor | One click on Play now starts a guest session (when guest play is on), or Sign in to play. |
| Unverified account | A prompt to verify their email. |
Some games wait for Play even when free:
- Managed servers and Forge Host: page views must not start servers.
- Creator-hosted (external SDK) games: the creator's page loads on request.
- Threaded builds: Play opens the isolated player page.
When a game joins the library
A free game joins a player's library the first time they actually play it: when they click or tab into the running game, or when the game reports an achievement or a score. A game that loads while the player only reads the page does not join their library. Players can also add a free game with Add to library at any time.
If a player's access to a game was revoked (for example by a refund or a moderation action), it is not granted again automatically.
What counts as a play
Loading a game on its page is not a play. Until the player engages:
- No launch is recorded and the play count doesn't change.
- Trending, creator analytics and conversion funnels ignore the session.
- A
gameplayReady()report from your game is held, then applied at the moment the player engages.
Explicit launches (Play buttons, the Library, room links and party launches) count immediately, exactly as before.
Paid games
Paid games never load by themselves. Their store page shows media, the purchase box and reviews; owners press Play to open the player page. See Store pages.