The company said at the Bloomberg Technology Summit on Thursday that it would open its own mobile game shop in July.
Sarah Bond, president of Xbox, said that the company plans to bring its first-party games, such as Candy Crush and Minecraft, to the mobile shop when they first come out. Then, Microsoft wants to allow other companies to put their apps in stores.
Bond said, “Let’s start on the web.” We are doing this because it allows us to create an experience that is compatible with all devices, across all countries, and unaffected by the regulations of closed ecosystem stores. From there, we’ll go on.”
If Microsoft opened the shop on the web instead of as an app, it would give people an option over Apple and Google, which take 30% of sales.
Microsoft announced plans to open an Xbox mobile game shop. The company has been talking about this for a while. In December of last year, Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, said that the company was talking with partners about opening an Xbox mobile shop and that it would happen soon.Â
When Microsoft announced its plan to buy Activision Blizzard in 2022, it was the first time it talked about a mobile shop. Files show that one of Microsoft’s main reasons for buying Activision Blizzard was to help it grow its mobile game business. In October 2022, Microsoft filed documents with the CMA indicating that it wanted to create a new “Xbox Mobile Platform” with mobile games from Activision and King.
The EU’s Digital Marketing Act (DMA) makes Apple and Google open up their app shops for mobile devices. Microsoft wants to offer an option to Apple and Google in the US and other places outside the EU.
