Set up and sell DLCs

Last updated on October 24, 2024

Introduction​

The In-app Purchase integrations in AccelByte Gaming Services (AGS) enables you to sync player purchases from third-party platforms (e.g., PlayStation, Xbox, etc.). To achieve this, items sold on a third-party platform need to be correctly mapped to items created in AGS.

This article walks you through how to:

  • Add DLCs in AGS
  • Map items from third-party platforms to DLCs in AGS
tip

We recommend checking out the DLC Management Guidelines section first for best practices in managing DLCs in AGS.

Prerequisites​

The items you intend to add to DLCs must be:

  • Properly configured in your third-party platform.
  • Already existing in your AGS Store. To create store items, refer to the Create store items article.

Add DLCs​

After configuring the items you want to include in DLCs in your third-party platform and creating them in your AGS Store, you can proceed to adding DLCs in the AGS Admin Portal. You can add DLCs in the AGS Admin Portal in two ways: manually or by using a JSON file.

Manually add a DLC​

  1. Go to your game namespace.

  2. On the Admin Portal sidebar, select Commerce > In-App Purchase > DLC Settings.

  3. On the DLC Settings page, open the DLC Configuration tab and click on the +Add DLC button. The Add DLC form appears.

    Add DLC button

  4. On the form, fill in the required information:

    1. Fill in the DLC ID.
    2. Choose Item or Currency as the Reward Type.
    3. Choose SKU or ID as the Item Identity. You can search for an item using its name.
    4. Choose COINS, INGAMEITEM, BUNDLE, CODE, SEASON, or MEDIA as the Item Type.
    5. Fill in an amount for the Quantity.
    6. Click on the Add button to save the DLC.

    Add DLC form

Add DLCs using a JSON file​

  1. Go to your game namespace.

  2. On the sidebar, select Commerce > In-App Purchase > DLC Settings.

  3. On the DLC Settings page, open the DLC Configuration tab and click on the + Add JSON button. A JSON template appears.

    note

    If there is an existing DLC configured already, click on the JSON Options button. Then, click Edit to modify the existing DLC JSON file or Delete to replace it with a new one.

    Add JSON button

  4. Follow the template to configure your JSON file.

    JSON template

Map DLCs in AGS to third-party platforms​

After completing the DLC configuration, you can proceed to the DLC Mapping tab to map the DLC you created to the corresponding items in your third-party platform. You can map DLCs in AGS in two ways: manually or by using a JSON file.

Manually add DLC Mapping​

  1. Go to your game namespace.

  2. On the sidebar, select Commerce > In-App Purchase > DLC Settings.

  3. In the DLC Mapping tab, click on the platform with the DLC that you want to map. Then, click on the Add Mapping button. The Add DLC Mapping form appears.

    Add Mapping button

  4. Fill in the required information on the form:

    1. Fill in the 3rd Party Platform Item ID.
    2. Fill in the DLC ID.

    Add Mapping form

Add DLC Mapping using JSON file​

  1. Go to your game namespace.

  2. On the sidebar, select Commerce > In-App Purchase > DLC Settings.

  3. In the DLC Mapping tab, click on the platform with the DLC that you want to map. Then, click on the + Add JSON button. A JSON template appears.

    note

    If there is an existing DLC mapping already in the platform, click on the JSON Options button. Then, click Edit to modify the existing DLC JSON file or Delete to replace it with a new one.

    Add DLC

  4. Follow the template to configure your JSON file.

    Add DLC

DLC management guidelines​

It is recommended to avoid including virtual currencies and other consumable items in DLCs for several reasons, including but not limited to the following:

  • Complicated refund handling: Including virtual currencies or consumable items in DLC rewards may complicate the refund process as these items are often immediately consumed, partially consumed, or traded within the game. This creates difficulties in tracking and revoking the benefits gained from these items upon a refund request.

  • Potential fraudulent activities: Players might exploit the refund policy by purchasing DLCs containing virtual currencies or consumable items, using these items, and then requesting a refund, thus obtaining without cost.

If you still want to use virtual currency in DLCs, your revocation strategy must allow negative balances. This prevents exploitation by ensuring that if a player spends all their currency and then gets a refund, their balance can go negative. For example, if a player buys 100 VC, spends it all, and then receives a refund, their balance might go to -100. This approach helps manage refunds and maintain the game's economic balance. For more information, see Configure revocation rules.

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