Microsoft is in talks with partners about launching an Xbox mobile store. According to Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, the company is discussing the launch of an Xbox mobile shop with partners, as Bloomberg first reported. On Thursday, Spencer remarked while answering questions during an interview at the CCXP Comics and Entertainment conference in Brazil.
The mobile shop may emerge sooner rather than later since Spencer has stated that he does not believe the launch is “multiple years away.” The mobile store would compete well with Apple and Google. Several earlier stories have indicated that the launch may occur as early as the following year.
“It’s an important part of our strategy and something we are actively working on today, not only alone but also talking to other partners who would also like to see more choice for how they can monetize on the phone,” Spencer said during the interview, as reported by Bloomberg. “We are actively working on it today.” “I do not believe that this will take a number of years; rather, I believe that it will happen sooner than that.”
The fresh statements from Spencer come when Microsoft officially acquired Activision Blizzard, even though Microsoft’s ambitions for an Xbox mobile shop have been brought to public attention for quite some time now. Recent court records have shown that Activision Blizzard intends to launch its Android app store. This is something that should be taken into consideration.
In prior statements, Microsoft stated that one of the primary reasons it wanted to purchase Activision Blizzard was to assist in expanding its mobile gaming footprint. Activision Blizzard is responsible for several mobile hits, such as Candy Crush and Call of Duty Mobile. According to the documents that Microsoft submitted to the CMA in October 2022, the company intended to develop a new “Xbox Mobile Platform” that would incorporate mobile games developed by Activision and King Interactive Studios.
Microsoft’s partnership with Activision Blizzard ended in October, almost two years after its announcement. This likely resulted in the business having to postpone its ambitions to create a mobile shop.
During the conversation, Spencer stated, “We have discussed the concept of choice, and in today’s world, you do not have any choice on your mobile phones.” We will need to be robust across various screens to guarantee that Xbox will continue to be important in the present and in the next ten to twenty years.
According to Bloomberg, the company plans to enter the mobile store market in a complex regulatory environment characterized by the ongoing conflict between Apple and Epic Games. Even though Apple prevailed in its legal struggle against Epic in April, the game maker submitted a petition to the Supreme Court in September requesting that the court examine whether or not Apple’s software business violates federal antitrust laws.
In a separate development, Apple has initiated legal proceedings against the Digital Markets Act of the European Commission, which can compel Apple to open its app store ecosystem.
