Which GraphicsDeviceManager constructor is canonical in MonoGame 4.0?

Direct answer

For MonoGame 4.0, the canonical constructor is GraphicsDeviceManager(Game game). Pass the current Game instance—normally this from the game’s constructor. The required argument does not differ between DesktopGL and Windows targets.

using Microsoft.Xna.Framework;
using Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Graphics;

public class MyGame : Game
{
    private readonly GraphicsDeviceManager _graphics;

    public MyGame()
    {
        _graphics = new GraphicsDeviceManager(this);
    }
}

Confirmed API shape

• The constructor takes one Game argument.
• DesktopGL and Windows use the same constructor contract.
• The class remains in the XNA-compatible Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Graphics namespace.

Why migration can look ambiguous

The likely source of confusion is the change in packaging and project templates, not a platform-specific graphics constructor. A target-framework mismatch can affect whether the project restores and builds, but it should not make you select a different constructor overload. Code expecting a parameterless constructor or a GraphicsDevice argument is not following the canonical MonoGame 4.0 initialization pattern.

Verify against the installed package

1. Check the project file for the exact MonoGame package version and target framework.
2. Use IntelliSense or the IDE’s Object Browser to inspect Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Graphics.GraphicsDeviceManager.
3. If the compiler rejects the call, use its exact diagnostic to distinguish an API mismatch from a package-resolution or targeting problem.

This recommendation assumes the package explicitly identified as MonoGame 4.0, rather than a preview or another major version. No live package metadata was checked for this draft, so verify the installed assembly before applying it to a migrated project.