Microsoft to Launch Xbox Mobile Game Store in July 2024: A New Era for iOS and Android Gaming
Brook.X
In response to the European Union's Digital Markets Act, which mandates Apple to allow third-party alternative app stores, EPIC has been developing a game store to distribute its own games as well as assist other developers in distributing theirs. However, the first compliant third-party alternative store to hit the market was actually AltStore PAL, which operates on an annual subscription model and has already launched.
Aside from EPIC, Microsoft has also been developing a mobile game store. Notably, there are differences between Microsoft's initiative and the efforts of both EPIC's game store and AltStore PAL, with Microsoft aiming to serve users globally.
Today, Sarah Bond, Vice President of the Xbox gaming division at Microsoft, confirmed that the company will launch the Xbox mobile game store in July 2024, supporting both iOS and Android systems. The initial lineup will include popular games such as Candy Crush and Minecraft.
In terms of functionality, the Xbox mobile game store will not be launched as a native application but will instead utilize web distribution. Although specific details are still pending, this approach seems likely to resemble Progressive Web Applications (PWA), where users are directed to the App Store after selecting a game.
If a user is in the European Union and the game developer has obtained Apple's permission for sideloading, then the user can directly download and install the software from the web upon clicking.
Thus, in some respects, the Xbox mobile game store does not aim to fully replace the App Store or Google Play Store. Instead, it appears more as a promotional channel, helping developers advertise their games and enabling users to discover a broader selection of curated games.
On the Android platform, Microsoft has the option to develop a full-fledged game store. Even if it opts for a PWA version, it can still provide APKs for players to install directly, bypassing the need to visit Google Play.
However, the specific details of Microsoft's plan will only become clear with the launch of the Xbox game store in July. For now, the reasons behind Microsoft's decision not to develop a native app store remain unclear.
