Xbox to Launch Mobile Store via Web in July; Microsoft Sees ‘Tremendous Growth’ in Cloud Gaming

President of Xbox, Sarah Bond, announced during a recent Bloomberg Tech talk with Dina Bass that the long-awaited Xbox mobile store will debut this July via the web. This move aims to avoid the limitations of the App Store and Play Store while regulators around the world enforce new guidelines. The first games to be added to the store will be Microsoft-owned franchises, including Minecraft and Candy Crush. However, the store will be opened to partners shortly afterward.

Bond emphasized the need for a gaming platform in-store experience that centers around players and spans across devices, allowing users to carry their library, identity, and rewards seamlessly. The Xbox mobile store will start on the web, ensuring accessibility across all devices and countries, independent of closed ecosystem store policies. The plan is to extend the experience from there.

The news of the Xbox mobile store first surfaced in October 2023 when Tom Warren from The Verge shared Microsoft’s plans to launch it sometime that year. In early December, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer confirmed that it was a key component of the overall Xbox strategy. The recent acquisition of Activision Blizzard further underscores Microsoft’s commitment to mobile gaming expertise.

During her chat at Bloomberg Tech, Sarah Bond also touched upon the status of cloud gaming, noting that Xbox is experiencing tremendous growth with more demand than supply. As a result, Microsoft plans to increase investments in this area, rolling out increased capacity and new options for cloud gaming. The goal is to open up immersive experiences to more gamers, benefitting both the industry and developers.

Stay tuned for the launch of the Xbox mobile store this July, and get ready to explore a true cross-platform gaming-centric mobile experience! 🎮📱