JayFoxRox (51) on 1/11/2019 7:28 AM · edited · Permalink · Report

Microsoft uses Title-IDs which shall uniquely identify games. This is similar to the Sony PN codes.

There's essentially 2 variations for this:

• Stored in XBE (Xbox Executable = like EXE on Windows), it's a 32 bit value, that is 2 ASCII symbols (a code for the publisher), and then what appears to be a 16 bit unsigned integer (an index of the game, for that publisher). This can therefore be expressed as purely a number (typically 8 digits hexadecimal) such as 4D530004, or as 2 letters and a number like MS-004.

• A mastering code. This code is found on the DVDs themselves typically etched into the inner ring. It reads like: MS00402A (Meaning: publisher MS [Microsoft], game number 004, version 02, region A [America]). This makes it a combination of the title ID, the release version, and the region. This code is harder to obtain, but contains more information. This mastering code is not only printed on the disc, but also contained in the disc metadata.

//Edit: I assume that disc mastering code and XBE Title IDs can differ [for a DVD] - if there's a demo-disc for example, it will probably have a mastering code for the DVD, but the demos will have their respective game Title IDs.

Microsoft has been using these codes since the original Xbox, and continued to use them on Xbox 360. I believe for 360, the game number / index will typically be >= 2000. Many websites use these serials to uniquely identify Xbox games. Microsoft also uses these Title IDs as part of their Xbox marketplace: http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/Product/Halo-3/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d8024d5307e6 (note how the last 8 letters are 4d5307e6 which is the Title ID / MS-2022). This means it's even possible to extract a Title ID from their store (for 360 games or backwards compatible games).

Redump also lists both of these, http://redump.org/disc/6114/ (Title ID as "Serial").

The original Xbox community has also documented some of the known (or assumed) publisher shorts here: http://xboxdevwiki.net/Xbe#Title_ID (the content might be moved in the future).

It is currently not known if Microsoft might switch to non-ASCII symbols in the first bytes, which could impact which title-id display style is being used. I'm also not sure if they still use this format for Xbox One / if it's still being changed. Their website URLs have definitely changed.

To summarize: Title ID can be seen on the physical disc, or from analyzing the data on the game-disc (DVD metadata + Xbox specific filesystem). Title IDs can be used to uniquely identify discs and games. The Title ID can be found in various spots and is an integral part of the Xbox game release and publishing system.

I hope that MobyGames adds support for adding XBE Title IDs (which are easy to obtain), or even Mastering Codes (which are harder to obtain, but still easy, and widely available), as product codes.