Xbox Mobile Gaming Store: What to Expect From Microsoft’s Rival to the App Store

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2022 saw Microsoft indicating its intentions for establishing a cutting-edge digital marketplace for games, following their groundbreaking takeover of Activision Blizzard.

During a subsequent interview, Microsoft’s Gaming CEO, Phil Spencer, expressed that they aim to provide Xbox gaming and content from themselves and their third-party collaborators on any device suitable for playing, confirming that this encompasses mobile platforms as well.

Many people found this series of occurrences quite significant. In a market where the Google Play Store and Apple App Store are dominant, the emergence of another contender, introducing fresh games and unique content, could mark a substantial shift in the rapidly expanding mobile gaming sector.

Xbox’s Mobile Gaming Store’s Launch Has Been Delayed

In 2024, Microsoft’s President of Xbox, Sarah Bond, announced that the Xbox mobile gaming store would debut in July of that very year.

As a devoted fan, I’m thrilled to share that Sarah Bond, the esteemed President of Microsoft’s Xbox division, recently revealed some exciting news at #BloombergTech. She announced that Microsoft is planning to debut its very own mobile game store in July! This move signifies a promising alternative to the existing app stores dominated by Apple and Google.

— Bloomberg Live (@BloombergLive) May 9, 2024

The store can now be accessed online, ensuring that it’s reachable for gamers worldwide, irrespective of the limitations imposed by closed-ecosystem digital marketplaces.

She also mentioned that they plan to develop this model more extensively in the days ahead, but the specifics of how it will measure up as a robust contender against other retailers are yet to be determined.

Despite plans for the launch, the Xbox mobile store has not opened up so far, according to Microsoft, due to Apple’s new anti-steering policies which have caused complications and increased costs for Microsoft. Consequently, the store remains in a holding pattern.

What Will Xbox’s Mobile Gaming Store Bring to Mobile?

Xbox’s primary advantage for its forthcoming mobile game store lies in the seamless, cross-platform gaming experience it offers, focusing on mobile gamers. The firm asserts that the existing app store market lacks a strong connection between players and the games they are genuinely interested in playing.

At the store’s debut, Microsoft’s selection of in-house video games will be accessible. This collection encompasses popular titles such as Call of Duty: Mobile, Candy Crush, and Minecraft.

Following shortly, Microsoft intends to make it possible for third-party developers to utilize this feature as well. However, there’s no specific timeline for when this will occur.

Xbox strives to deliver a seamless experience that can be accessed from various devices. Their store is designed to transfer “your collection, your persona, your achievements” to any device you’re using at the moment.

Though this venture seems promising, it’s essential to acknowledge that it represents a significant undertaking by Xbox. Compared to the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, which are undeniably the preferred platforms for mobile gaming users, the success of Xbox’s mobile game store will hinge on their ability to grow the store into a more appealing option for gamers and the advantages they intend to provide to encourage that transition. Ultimately, we’ll have to wait and see how things unfold.

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2025-05-30 13:01