Tucked into Microsoft's response to the whole UK CMA Activision Blizzard deal (yep, it's still ongoing!), the company has revealed more details on a planned Xbox mobile store, which will attempt to pry users away from the existing iOS and Android storefronts.
According to the statement, the plan is to "scale the Xbox Store experience to mobile", with the Activision Blizzard acquisition set to "improve Microsoft's ability to create a next generation game store" across multiple devices.
Here's what Microsoft said about the move in its UK CMA statement:
"The transaction will improve Microsoft’s ability to create a next generation game store which operates across a range of devices, including mobile as a result of the addition of Activision Blizzard’s content. Building on Activision Blizzard’s existing communities of gamers, Xbox will seek to scale the Xbox Store to mobile, attracting gamers to a new Xbox Mobile Platform.
Shifting consumers away from the Google Play Store and App Store on mobile devices will, however, require a major shift in consumer behavior. Microsoft hopes that by offering well-known and popular content, gamers will be more inclined to try something new."
So far, the Xbox CMA battle has primarily focused on console gaming, particularly surrounding Call of Duty and its availability on PlayStation. However, it's been clear from the start that Microsoft is also focusing a lot on the mobile market with this planned acquisition, which is no surprise given Activision Blizzard's ownership of properties like Candy Crush, and of course, Call of Duty: Mobile.
What do you think of another mobile storefront being led by Microsoft? Drop your thoughts down below.
[source assets.publishing.service.gov.uk, via theverge.com]
Comments 18
To do this wouldn't they need to start making their own phones again? That would make the most sense as mobile syhese days either have Google Play pre installed on android phones and the app store pre installed onto apple phones, meaning people would be required to download xbox mobile store seperately or through APK installs.
I can see xbox maybe partnering with Samsung to have the xbox store pre installed in teh future, but then again Samsung also have their own app store pre installed so maybe they would be against that idea.
So the best option is to maybe start making mobiles phone themselves again with the store as default and gamepass pre installed, and grow from there.
@UltimateOtaku91 I would love it if Microsoft or Xbox even started making phones again. I always wanted a Microsoft phone back in the day and if i could get one now, that would be amazing!
Well that's a stretch you can't get into a market store that offers millions of games with a handful of mobile games that may come from Xbox studios. Then again I'd like to see them try but it's a duopoly as it stands and not gonna change in near future.
I don't know how to feel about this... If they mean a luncher like steam on pc with library of games to buy and play...yeah it can work for them but taking customers from google play and apple is impossible for now maybe having 5% of the market will be a huge success in their plan
@Notoriousmakavel I for the life of me cannot understand why they removed the store from the Xbox app. Incredibly dumb.
Watching the silent hill stream , silent hill 2 is playstation console exclusive I know this site's going to be fun lol
@Would_you_kindly did u come over just to start a fight ?
I personally don't care if it exclusive for 12 MONTHS it's not a long wait if I decide to play it and I don't think bloober are the best to be doing it oh and if I change my mind I've also own a ps5 so not a Biggie and to be fair most Xbox fans will be too busy on the all exclusive starfield to give a hoot
I'm amazed Sony had the time to sort out that 12 months exclusive when tears were still running down Thier face over the acti takeover
Edit : oh no ppl might buy a ps5 over Xbox to play this remake where's the phone number to the cma ? Lmfao
@Martsmall who's starting a fight lol
@Would_you_kindly the this site is gonna b fun comment , like most ppl will care they honestly won't ....if u wanna see fun wait till Microsoft own acti and announce a new crash/spyro game Xbox exclusive then the u know what will hit the fan
@UltimateOtaku91 I have a feeling this "mobile storefront" is tied to xCloud. Remember they also have plans to let player stream-play games they own even if they are not currently part of GamePass. If they also manage to expand things to have streaming mobile versions of all King games, they could have something there.
I wonder if this could bring full GamePass support to the Steam Deck? Hopefully maybe probably… 😃
Many mobile game developers now operate their own web stores where purchases can be made for mobile games directly from the developer. Personally, I got so screwed by Google (they put a block on my account when i tried to use an electronic google play card, then 4 reps later, still wont remove it but redeemed and held all the value from the card)that I would welcome cutting them out and just using a web store.
@UltimateOtaku91
They do have a phone. Surface Duo 2.
@FatalBubbles I'd wager that it's because it'll require them to pay Apple & Google a cut of the sales. That's why you can't buy ebooks or audiobooks from the Amazon, Kindle, or Audible apps on iOS or Android any more.
Microsoft will be hampered by the same restrictions as it'll need to be some sort of web interface. Though considering what happened with Apple & Epic I bet there'll be a lot of backlash whatever they do as Apple & Google love all that passive app income.
I also have no idea why they removed the store from the app in the first place.
@PhileasFragg Wow, never even considered that. I guess Sony just says screw it and swallows the cut Apple takes. I thought the Xbox app was great and they seem to have gone backwards, but this could explain some of it.
@FatalBubbles Sony might be paying, as they'd be needing to pay a cut of physical sales to a retailer anyway. But it seems the rules are implemented unevenly.
They can barely curate their own stores. I think the MSFT store has great content and a super poor browsing experience. I'm all for a great store but it's not an area MSFT has ever done well in. They still use tiles for God sake from the Windows 8 era!
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