Microsoft is launching its own Xbox mobile game store, with titles like Candy Crush and Minecraft
Microsoft appears to be ramping up its efforts in mobile gaming, unveiling plans to launch an Xbox mobile game store in July.
While we already know that an Xbox mobile game store has been in the works for quite some time, this new July release timeline comes from a recent interview with Xbox President Sarah Bond on the Bloomberg Technology Summit.
Bond then expressed a desire to bring Microsoft’s “own first-party portfolio” to the store, including “games like Candy Crush” And “games like Minecraft” alongside third-party titles from partners.
It seems clear that the Xbox mobile game store will be part of the broader Xbox ecosystem, as Bond described it as “a truly cross-platform, gaming-focused mobile experience.” Presumably this means some form of integration with existing Xbox game libraries and compatibility with popular features like Microsoft Rewards and Xbox Achievements.
Interestingly, the store will first be available as a web application instead of a traditional app. “We’re going to start on the Internet,” Bond explained. “We do that because it really allows us to make it an experience that is accessible on all devices, in all countries, no matter what, and independent of closed ecosystem store policies.”
This sounds quite similar to the existing Xbox Cloud Gaming service, which can be accessed via web browsers on mobile phones. While the intention is clearly to compete with the Android Google Play Store and the iOS App Store, it’s hard to imagine the Xbox mobile game store finding much success without a dedicated home screen presence.
Still, with recent European Union (EU) regulations prompting Apple to allow third-party iOS app stores in the region for the first time, it seems highly likely that we’ll see one emerge down the line. Perhaps the appeal of large properties such as Candy Crush And Minecraft will prove to be enough to convince some fans to take the plunge in the meantime.