Microsoft is reportedly in the process of developing a mobile storefront for Xbox, which would enable users to bypass both Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store, allowing for direct game downloads from its own platform. Earlier in the year, Phil Spencer, head of Microsoft’s gaming division, announced at the Game Developer Conference that the company was planning to unveil a dedicated app store for both iOS and Android devices. Current reports indicate that Xbox is now engaged in discussions with potential partners to further this initiative.
According to a recent report from Bloomberg, Spencer expressed optimism regarding the timeline for the Xbox mobile store, suggesting it could launch relatively soon. “It’s an important part of our strategy and something we are actively working on today not only alone, but talking to other partners who’d also like to see more choice for how they can monetize on the phone,” he stated during an interview at the CCXP comics and entertainment convention in Sao Paolo.
While Spencer did not specify an exact launch date for the mobile store, he noted that it would not be too far off. “I don’t think this is multiple years away, I think this is sooner than that,” he remarked.
A report from March indicated that the Xbox mobile store was anticipated to go live by March 2024, contingent upon the completion of Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. That acquisition was finalized in October after the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which had previously blocked the deal, granted approval. The CMA had raised concerns about Microsoft’s potential dominance in cloud streaming, but allowed the merger to proceed after Microsoft agreed to sell off non-European streaming rights for Activision to Ubisoft Entertainment, a move aimed at appeasing regulators.
With the acquisition now secured, the path appears clear for the launch of the Xbox store app on mobile platforms. However, Apple and Google impose stringent rules on their storefronts, prohibiting app developers from offering their applications through alternative channels and taking a percentage of all transactions conducted via their stores. These policies have attracted regulatory scrutiny, with companies like Epic Games pursuing antitrust actions against the tech giants. Additionally, the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) is set to allow developers to introduce their own app stores on mobile devices, with compliance required by March 2024.
In a related development, Microsoft recently announced a partnership with Inworld AI to enhance game development tools for the Xbox platform, enabling creators to design characters, generate scripts, and create quests, among other features. Earlier this year, Xbox also increased prices for its popular subscription service, Xbox Game Pass, as well as for its flagship console, the Xbox Series X.
