Xbox reportedly planning to launch its own Game store for iOS and Android devices

Last year, the EU announced law changes that will force Google and Apple to allow third-party stores on iOS and Android devices. Now, it looks like Microsoft is preparing to capitalise on this opportunity with its own mobile Xbox store. 

In an interview with the Financial Times this week, Xbox head, Phil Spencer, made Microsoft's plan clear, stating that the company wants to build its own Xbox game store for mobile devices to offer content from first-party Xbox studios, as well as third-parties.

Microsoft has been keeping a keen eye on the EU's Digital Markets Act, which will go into effect starting next year. As Spencer puts it, this law change presents “a huge opportunity”, particularly for Microsoft, whose presence in the mobile market is currently minimal at best. Xbox Cloud Gaming is offered on mobile devices, but on iOS, Microsoft had to implement a roundabout solution using Safari for streaming via the browser, as Apple's App Store rules prohibit the company from creating a dedicated store or streaming app. Once the new EU laws come into effect, that should no longer be a barrier.

Beyond that, Microsoft is also in the process of acquiring Activision Blizzard. The bulk of the conversation around this deal has focused on Call of Duty, but many analysts have stated that the true prize here is King, Activision's mobile studio. King is one of the biggest mobile app game developers in the world and would instantly transform Microsoft from a company with very little stake in the mobile market, to one of the larger players in the market.

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KitGuru Says: Microsoft seems keen on being one of the first major companies to launch a third-party App Store for both iOS and Android. We'll have to keep an eye out for more details in 2024, when the new EU laws are due to take effect. 

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