Microsoft’s own games will first be on the Xbox mobile store on the web.
Microsoft has discussed launching an Xbox mobile gaming store for several years. Today, at the Bloomberg Technology Summit, Xbox president Sarah Bond announced a July launch. She also explained how Microsoft will bypass Apple’s strict App Store regulations.
“We’re going to start by bringing our own first-party portfolio to [the Xbox mobile store], so you’re going to see games like Candy Crush show up in that experience, games like Minecraft,” says Bond.
“We’re going to start on the web, and we’re doing that because that really allows us to have it be an experience that’s accessible across all devices, all countries, no matter what and independent of the policies of closed ecosystem stores.”
Sarah Bond, @Microsoft’s Xbox president, announced at #BloombergTech that the company will launch its own mobile game store in July, creating an alternative to Apple and Google’s app stores pic.twitter.com/hj6eLtsGfl
— Bloomberg Live (@BloombergLive) May 9, 2024
Games will be a major part of the store, but other essential Xbox features will be included too. Bond believes that there isn’t a gaming platform and store that seamlessly connects across devices, where your profile, games, identity, and rewards move with you instead of being confined to one ecosystem. Microsoft aims to create this experience with its Xbox mobile store.
Microsoft has been developing this store with the expectation that companies like Apple and Google might have to open their mobile app stores. However, Microsoft isn’t waiting for the Digital Markets Act in Europe or any actions in the US to take effect.
Creating a web-only mobile store will be difficult, and it’s not yet clear how Microsoft will present this as an alternative to mobile games available on other app stores. Bond mentioned that Microsoft plans to “extend” beyond the web, suggesting that it might eventually offer a real alternative to Google and Apple’s mobile app stores soon.
In early 2022, shortly after announcing its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft began talking about a “next-generation store.” Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said in a Financial Times interview last year, “We aim to deliver Xbox and content from us and our third-party partners on any screen where people want to play. Currently, we can’t do this on mobile devices, but we’re working towards a future where those devices are more accessible.”
What we think?
I think Microsoft’s new Xbox mobile gaming store sounds exciting. It’ll start in July and first feature Microsoft’s games like Candy Crush and Minecraft. They’re using the web to avoid app store rules and reach everyone easily.
It could change how we play games on mobile by connecting everything—games, profiles, and rewards—across devices. I’m curious to see how well it competes with existing app stores and if it’ll really work smoothly on all devices.
