Content labeling and taxonomy
Updated: Mar 12, 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. You can access and update your content labeling in the
Developer Dashboard by following these steps:
- Open your browser and navigate to the Developer Dashboard.
- Select your app.
- From the left-side navigation, expand Distribution and then click App Submissions
- In the App Submissions panel, click App Metadata.
- Scroll down until you find the entries for Category and Genres.
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 app, you may add up to two additional genres, for a maximum total of three. Note that we will review your submission to ensure relevance with our guidelines, and may make corrections to any inaccuracies.
The categories and their associated attributes are as follows:
Games are interactive experiences designed primarily for entertainment, often featuring immersive and engaging elements, a reward system, and online competition.
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
- Adventure
- Adventure games emphasize exploration and narrative progression. They often have a player assume the role of a protagonist as they explore an open-world setting, while solving puzzles, meeting new characters, and pushing a central storyline forward.
- Examples: Floor Plan 2, Vampire: The Masquerade - Justice, Red Matter
- Arcade
- Arcade games focus on fast-paced, compelling, and intense experiences, with simple controls and increasing difficulty levels. They often prioritize a more stylized and expressive game design over realism, and emphasize quick game sessions and pick-up-and-play gameplay.
- Examples: Shave & Stuff, Fruit Ninja, Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs, Gravity League, BAM, Frenzy Extinction LITE, Racket: Nx
- Fighting
- Hangout
- Learning
- Narrative
- Party Game
- Puzzle
- Racing
- Racing games involve competitions with vehicles that can span air, land, and water, often featuring high-speed action, physics-based mechanics, and competitive multiplayer elements. They often include selectable racers, vehicles with unique stats, and selectable courses with unique themes and modes
- Examples: VRider SBK, V-Speedway, MotoX, DRFT : Car Racing Games, LIT
- Rhythm
- Role Playing
- Role Playing Games (RPG) allow players to create and customize a character and engage in storytelling, and feature open-world exploration, quests, and character development. They often include complex character customization systems, sprawling narratives driven by decisions made by the player, and dynamic character interactions.
- Examples: Asgard’s Wrath 2, Zenith: Nexus, Oathbreakers, Grimlord, OrbusVR: Reborn
- Sandbox
- Shooter
- Shooter games focus on projectile weapons for combat or accuracy, and require players to shoot targets, while featuring fast-paced action. They can range from playful arcade shooting ranges to gritty military simulations.
- Examples: Ghosts of Tabor, Pavlov Shack, SUPERHOT VR, Onward, Pistol Whip
- Simulation
- Simulation games emulate activities or situations, in an immersive recreation of real-world or imaginary experiences. They can include complex controls and multifaceted gameplay mechanics for the sake of increased immersion. Examples include piloting an airplane, playing table tennis as if in real life, or realistically preparing a meal.
- Examples: Epic Roller Coasters, Job Simulator, I Am Cat, Richie’s Plank Experience, Vacation Simulator
- Sports
- Sports games emphasize athletic competition, and most attempt to recreate the feeling of being an athlete or team engaging in a real-world sport within a stadium, arena, or track. They can range from exaggerated, competitive arcade experiences to team management simulations. Sports are distinguished from other physical activities by their focus on competition and physical exertion.
- Examples: NFL PRO ERA, GYM CLASS - BASKETBALL VR, The Thrill of the Fight, Eleven Table Tennis
- Strategy
- Strategy games emphasize planning and tactical decision-making. These games can be turn-based, or unfold in real time with players racing to make critical decisions as quickly as possible. They can also involve controlling armies or civilizations as they explore, build, evolve, and manage resources.
- Examples: War of Wizards, IRON GUARD: Homecoming,, Townsmen VR, Eternal Starlight
- Survival
- Tabletop
- World Creation
Apps are software designed to perform specific tasks or provide services, often used for productivity, creativity, organization, and communication purposes. These can be fitness apps, media streaming services, social media platforms, creative tools, office productivity tools, internet browsers, etc.
If you selected APPS as the category, you will then need to apply one mandatory primary concept, an optional secondary concept and an optional tertiary concept, as appropriate. Select from the following:
- App Hub
- App Hub apps are digital distribution services or central platforms that provide access to multiple applications, like a storefront. Use Media for streaming services.
- Examples: Xbox Cloud Gaming
- Community
- Apps that facilitate interaction and communication among users, such as social media platforms, messaging apps, dating apps, or video conferencing tools. These apps provide a space for people to connect with others who share similar interests or goals, and to engage in activities that foster a sense of belonging and collaboration.
- Examples: vTime XR, WhatsApp
- Computer Link
- Apps that connect and integrate MR hardware with home computer systems for the purpose of extending the functionalities of a personal computer to MR.
- Examples: Virtual Desktop, Steam Link, Immersed
- Creativity
- Creativity apps allow users to create, edit, and manipulate various forms of digital content, such as images, videos, or 3D models. Examples include drawing, illustration, animation, and 3D design tools. Also includes apps for enhancing virtual and real-world environments.
- Examples: Tilt Brush, ShapesXR, Arkio, Gravity Sketch, Kingspray Graffiti
- Events
- Events apps provide access to live events and co-present experiences for users. Examples include live music performances, concerts, comedy shows, and film screenings. Use Productivity for time management apps.
- Examples: xambr, MYX
- Fitness & Wellness
- Fitness & Wellness apps track and monitor users’ physical activity or wellness. Examples include fitness tracking, nutrition planning, stress management, and meditation. Use Medical for healthcare-related apps.
- Examples: Supernatural: Unreal Fitness, Guided Meditation VR, FitXR
- Hands-On Training
- Learning
- Media
- Media apps allow users to stream, display or playback media content, such as movies, TV shows, music, or podcasts. Also includes apps for 2D content, such as books, magazines, comics and manga.
- Examples: YouTube VR, DeoVR Video Streaming, SKYBOX VR Video Player
- Medical
- News
- News apps provide news and information to connect users with local, national, and international news, news aggregators, as well as categories like entertainment, science, and politics.
- Examples: No examples yet
- Productivity
- Productivity apps help users manage their time, tasks, or workflow, such as calendar apps, to-do lists, or project management tools. Also includes business and finance apps.
- Examples: Campfire, Microsoft Excel, Spaceframe
- Shopping
- Shopping apps allow users to browse, purchase, or track products, such as e-commerce platforms, price comparison tools, or community marketplaces.
- Examples: No examples yet
- Sports
- Sports apps focus on real-world sports, such as soccer, basketball, or football, often featuring realistic physics and mechanics and training. Examples include fantasy sports leagues, sports news, and stat trackers. This concept is commonly associated with Fitness & Wellness as well as Hands-On Training. Sports are distinguished from other physical activities by their focus on competition and physical exertion.
- Examples: WIN Reality Baseball, ATP Tour Sense Arena, Be Your Best
- Travel & Exploration
- Travel & Exploration apps focus on guided or interactive experiences in real-world or fantasy environments. Examples include city guides, safaris, museum tours, and space travel. For maps and travel booking, use Productivity.
- Examples: OtherSight, National Geographic Explore VR, Wander, Ocean Rift
- Utilities