Xbox Talking to Partners for Mobile Store, CEO Spencer Says

[Puff]

Xbox Talking to Partners for Mobile Store, CEO Spencer Says

Challenge to Apple, Google app stores could come soon.

www.bloomberg.com

Microsoft Corp. is talking to partners to help launch a mobile gaming store that will take on Apple Inc. and Google's dominant position in the business, according to Phil Spencer, who leads the company's Xbox video-game division.

"It's an important part of our strategy and something we are actively working on today not only alone, but talking to other partners who'd also like to see more choice for how they can monetize on the phone,'' Spencer said in an interview in Sao Paulo during the CCXP comics and entertainment convention.

The executive declined to give a specific date for a launch of the online store, which earlier reports suggested could be next year. "I don't think this is multiple years away, I think this is sooner than that,'' he said.

Microsoft's mobile store would also enter a challenging regulatory climate around smartphone-based digital marketplaces. Fortnite-maker Epic Games Inc. has sued both Apple and Alphabet Inc.'s Google over their iOS and Android store practices, alleging they are unnecessarily restrictive and unfair. Apple doesn't allow competing stores on its iPhone and iPad platforms, and collects a 30% cut of sales for most purchases. Game makers have taken issue with the fees.

Microsoft may be able to use long-standing resentment against the market leaders to martial support for its store offering. Xbox's cloud gaming technology already lets users stream blockbuster games to mobile phones.

"We've talked about choice, and today on your mobile phones, you don't have choice,'' Spencer said. "To make sure that Xbox is not only relevant today but for the next 10, 20 years, we're going to have to be strong across many screens."

 

[anonpuffs]

Good, have all those bots go and start arguing with the apple/google fanboys instead and leave us alone

 

[Gamernyc78]

MS expanded to 11 new Latin America countries, leading to a 7% increase PC Gamepass, Brazil is the second-biggest PC GP market​

 

[Gods&Monsters]

Good, have all those bots go and start arguing with the apple/google fanboys instead and leave us alone

Imagine the chaos they will bring in the android and apple fan world (does that even exist? Where are they hanging out?). They will see what Sony is going through for over 10 years now.

It is suffocating.

 

[Gamernyc78]

Imagine the chaos they will bring in the android and apple fan world (does that even exist? Where are they hanging out?). They will see what Sony is going through for over 10 years now.

It is suffocating.

Yeah I know ppl who playfully argue about apple versus Samsung/android and are dead serious about it.

 

[Zzero]

Oh, this again. Good luck, lol.

 

[Dabaus]

Weird how they just announce they’re going to brute force their way on to Apple and googles stores and they both don’t say anything.

 

[Loy310]

Imagine the chaos they will bring in the android and apple fan world (does that even exist? Where are they hanging out?). They will see what Sony is going through for over 10 years now.

It is suffocating.

Its a different audience, its literally your mom and grandma, and sister and aunts.
They wont be on sites like this, and they certainly aint playing the same games we playing.
So implying they want sub casuals and they going 3rd party.

 

[Would_you_kindly]

"We've talked about choice, and today on your PC & laptops , you don't have choice,''

 

[laynelane]

"We've talked about choice, and today on your mobile phones, you don't have choice,'' Spencer said. "To make sure that Xbox is not only relevant today but for the next 10, 20 years, we're going to have to be strong across many screens."

I wonder if anyone, besides MS super fans, really buys that Phil wants customers to have "choice". Also, nice timing on this right when their console sales are dropping off a cliff in Europe and elsewhere. It reads as more damage control and spin to me.

 

[Deleted member 223]

Don't mind seeing Microsoft resources tied up with Mobile again.