Distribute and grow
Distribute and grow

Content labeling and taxonomy

Updated: Oct 6, 2025
To ensure your app is relevantly discovered in the Meta Horizon Store, it’s essential to select a relevant category and genres in your app’s metadata during your app submission.
When submitting an app for review, you can select one of two available categories: Games or Apps.
Once you have selected your category, you must select at least one genre. The first genre you select will be considered primary. To add additional context to your game or app, you may add up to two additional genres. Note that we will review your submission to ensure relevance with our guidelines, and may make corrections to any inaccuracies.
Only assign genres that are truly applicable: add secondary and tertiary genres when they accurately describe the app or game.
  • Primary Genre (Mandatory): Ths is the main genre that best describes your app or game. It should be the genre that users would most likely associate with the app or game at first glance.
  • Secondary Genre (Optional): This genre should support the primary genre, providing more specific information about the app or game.
  • Tertiary Genre (Optional): This is an additional genre that can be used to describe further aspects of the app or game, but is less dominant than the primary and secondary genres.
You can access and update your content labeling in the Developer Dashboard⁠ by following these steps:
  1. Open your browser and navigate to the Developer Dashboard⁠.
  2. Select your app.
  3. From the left-side navigation, expand Distribution and then click App Submissions.
  4. In the App Submissions panel, click App Metadata.
  5. Scroll down until you find the entries for Category and Genres.
Categories and Genres are on the App Submissions page
The categories and their associated attributes are as follows:

Games category

Games have an interactive experience designed primarily for entertainment, often featuring immersive and engaging elements, a reward system, and online competition.

Games - available genres

If you selected “Games” as the category, you will then need to apply one mandatory primary genre, an optional secondary genre and an optional tertiary genre, as appropriate. Select from the following:

Action

Gameplay that emphasizes physical challenges, skillful interactions, quick reflexes. This genre often requires precision timing and fast-paced decision-making.
Choose the most specific Action sub-genre value(s) for your game. For example, use Shooter, if your game features shooting (rather than only selecting the Action genre)
There are four Action sub-genres for you to choose from:

Adventure

Gameplay that focuses on exploration and discovery, typically with a strong emphasis on storytelling, character development, and player choice. These games may incorporate elements of puzzle-solving, navigating immersive environments, and combat.

Education

Gameplay that provides educational content designed to teach or build knowledge. These games may cover a wide range of topics, from language and history to science and mathematics.

Hangout

Gameplay that prioritizes socializing and conversation, featuring virtual environments where players can chat, interact, and engage in **casual **activities or exploration together.

Narrative

Gameplay that focuses on a storyline, using a combination of gameplay mechanics, cinematic presentation, and player choice to create a unique and engaging narrative experience. These games prioritize storytelling and atmosphere over traditional gameplay challenges, but still rely on gameplay mechanics such as puzzles, challenges, or exploration to drive the story forward.

Party Game

Gameplay designed for social gatherings and casual play, typically featuring easy-to-learn rules and simple gameplay mechanics. Party Games are meant to be fast-paced and fun, with a focus on light-hearted competition and social interaction. They often accommodate a large number of players and feature a collection of mini-games, challenges, or activities that are easy to pick up and play.

Puzzle

Gameplay that focuses on puzzle-solving, challenging players to use logic, pattern recognition, and critical thinking to overcome obstacles or achieve goals. Puzzle games prioritize intellectual challenge and problem-solving.

Rhythm

Gameplay that requires players to time their actions in sync with music or rhythm, often featuring musical elements and challenges.

Role Playing

Gameplay that allows players to create and customize their own characters, with gameplay focused on quests or missions that advance the story and character development. Other common elements include open-world exploration, puzzle-solving, combat, magic, crafting, and trading.

Sandbox

Gameplay that offers an open environment where players have the freedom to explore, experiment, and interact with the game world in a non-linear fashion. Sandbox experiences feature a dynamic, responsive environment that allows players to make choices and shape their experience through gameplay. Players may create some features within an environment, but do not build entire worlds from scratch.

Simulation

Gameplay that mimics real-world activities, occupations, or experiences, often with a focus on realism, authenticity, and interactive experimentation. Simulation games can be serious, humorous, or satirical in tone. These games allow players to engage in virtual versions of everyday tasks, jobs, or hobbies.

Sports

Gameplay that simulates sports and athletic competitions. Sports are distinguished from other physical activities by their focus on competition and physical exertion. These games often feature realistic physics and mechanics and emphasize player skill.
Choose the most specific Sports Type value(s) possible for your game. For example, choose Boxing, if your game features boxing (rather than only selecting ‘Combat Sports’)
Games can feature multiple Sports Type values—such as Boxing, Soccer, and Tennis if they showcase several sports as the core experience.

Strategy

Gameplay that requires players to plan and manage resources, troops, or bases, often featuring a bird’s-eye view and a focus on tactical decision-making.

Survival

Gameplay that challenges players to survive in a hostile environment, often featuring resource gathering, crafting, and combat against enemies.

Tabletop

Gameplay that adapts traditional tabletop games, such as board games or card games, into a digital format.

World Creation

Gameplay provides players with tools to design, build, and customize virtual worlds from scratch, often featuring a strong focus on creativity, architecture, and sharing creations with others. These games typically allow players to manipulate terrain, add objects, and create rules or behaviors for their worlds.

Additional Information about Games

We understand that each game is unique in the way it is designed and created. Recognizing this, we also know that providing some additional information, such as art style or the type of game play can help highlight what makes your game special and make it more appealing to certain audiences.

Art Style

This refers to the primary visual aesthetic and design elements of a game. It includes features such as the color palette, character models, environments, special effects, and the overall graphical quality achieved through various artistic techniques. Some well-known art styles include Abstract, Anime, Cartoon, Low-poly etc.

Game Theme

The Game Theme represents the overarching setting, motif, or narrative context that shapes the game’s atmosphere. It influences the story, characters, and visual style, providing a cohesive backdrop for the player’s experience. Themes are not mutually exclusive—multiple themes can apply to a single game. However, the themes chosen should be central to the game’s identity and experience. For example, themes like “Aliens,” “Animals,” or “Monsters” indicate that these elements are not just present but play a significant role as characters or key components that define the game’s setting and narrative. When selecting themes, ensure they are essential to the game’s storytelling and overall atmosphere.
Note: Art Style and Game Themes are optional. Not every game will have a distinct style or theme.

Gameplay Challenge

The Gameplay Challenge refers to the level of difficulty, skill, and effort required from the player to succeed or progress in a game. It defines how demanding the game experience is—physically, mentally, or both—and influences the intensity, pace, and accessibility of the gameplay.
  • Casual: Low-stakes, low-difficulty gameplay designed for relaxation or short play sessions. Often features forgiving mechanics and minimal penalties. For example, a cozy cooking simulator or light puzzle game.
  • Hardcore: High-difficulty gameplay requiring precision, endurance, strategic thinking, or mastery of complex systems. For example, competitive shooters, survival games, or rhythm games with fast inputs.

Gameplay Mechanics

Gameplay Mechanics are the core interactive systems and actions that define how a player engages with the game and progresses through the experience. They determine the types of activities players can perform, the rules governing those activities, and the physical or cognitive skills required. We strongly recommend selecting at least one Gameplay Mechanic that best represents the core play experience of your game.
There are 46 Gameplay Mechanics covering diverse play styles and activities. Here are four examples illustrating the variety of mechanics that shape player interactions and progression:
  • Crafting: Gameplay that involves players gathering and combining resources to create new items, equipment, or structures.
  • Magic: Gameplay that involves magical elements or abilities, like casting spells.
  • Puzzle: Gameplay that involves solving problems or enigmas to progress through the game, often requiring logical thinking and pattern recognition.
  • Shooting: Gameplay that involves using projectiles or firearms to damage or defeat enemies or targets.
Tip: Focus on the gameplay mechanics that most define the core play experience, rather than every possible feature. This helps players find games that match their preferred play styles, improving discovery and recommendation quality.

Apps category

Apps are software designed to perform specific tasks or provide services, often used for productivity, creativity, organization, and communication. These can be fitness apps, media streaming services, social media platforms, creative tools, office productivity tools, internet browsers, etc.

Apps - available genres

If you selected “App” as the category, you will then need to apply one mandatory primary genre, an optional secondary genre and an optional tertiary genre, as appropriate. Select from the following:

Community

Apps that facilitate social interaction, communication, and connection among users. These provide a platform for users to engage in various forms of community-building activities, and focus on enabling users to interact with each other in a way that fosters a sense of belonging, shared identity, or collective purpose.

Creativity

Apps that provide tools and environments for users to express themselves creatively. The focus is on self-expression, imagination, and creativity. This includes apps for creating and enhancing virtual and real-world environments.

Events

Apps that focus on helping users plan, manage, participate in, or virtually attend events, such as live performances, social events, or meetings.

Fitness & Wellness

Apps that are designed to promote overall physical and mental well-being, focusing on healthy habits and self-improvement. These apps aim to improve users’ quality of life through non-clinical means.

Hub

Digital distribution services or platforms that aggregate and provide access to multiple applications, usually presented like a browsable storefront or marketplace.

Learning

Apps that provide interactive experiences, resources, and tools designed to acquire knowledge, skills, and competencies.
Choose the most specific ‘Learning Type’ value for your game. For example, choose ‘Education,’ if your game features mainly passive learning methods (rather than only selecting ‘Learning’).
There are 2 Learning Type sub-genres:

Media

Media content and apps that enable users to access and consume media content.
There are 10 Media App Types for you to choose from:
  • Art Experiences: Showcase art, including galleries and interactive installations
  • Books & Comics: Digital book and comic platforms that offer immersive reading experiences in VR
  • Film & TV: Streaming services and platforms that provide access to movies and TV shows in traditional, non-VR formats
  • Media Players: Primarily play back local media files, such as videos, music, and images, stored on the device or external storage
  • Music & Audio: Enable users to listen to music and audio content, and in some cases, interact with it
  • News: Stream live and on-demand news content
  • Performing Arts: Showcase performances like theater, dance, or comedy shows
  • Streaming Apps: Provide access to online content, such as movies, TV shows, music, video games, and live streams
  • Sports Media: Stream live and on-demand sports content
  • VR Films & Shorts: Combine traditional filmmaking techniques with immersive storytelling and VR technology
Note: Media App Types are not mutually exclusive and an app can have multiple labels. For instance, Amazon Music can be categorized as both Streaming Apps and Music & Audio due to its functionality in streaming music, podcasts, and radio.

Medical

Apps that provide healthcare-related information or services.

Productivity

Apps that enable users to complete tasks or work more efficiently by managing time, projects, or workflows.

Shopping

Apps that allow users to browse, purchase, or track products, such as e-commerce platforms.

Sports Training

Apps that focus on training in traditional and alternative sports, such as football, basketball, tennis, golf, and snowboarding. Sports involve competition, skill, and physical exertion, often with rules and objectives, such as scoring points or completing challenges.
Apps can feature multiple Sports Type values (for example, Boxing, Soccer, and Tennis) if it showcases several sports as its core experience. Choose the most specific Sports Type value(s) possible for your app. For example, choose Boxing, if your app features boxing (rather than only selecting Combat Sports).

Travel & Exploration

Apps that allow users to explore and experience real-world or fictional environments, destinations, or landmarks in an immersive and interactive way.

Utilities

Apps that provide a basic function, enabling the user to solve a discrete problem or complete a specific task.
There is also one Utilities Type sub-genre:
  • Computer Link: Enables connectivity and integration between extended reality (XR) devices and external computing systems (e.g., computers, smartphones) to extend or mirror their functionalities within a mixed reality or virtual environment.
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