Microsoft recently announced that it will start its own mobile game store in July. Xbox president Sarah Bond explained that they will first introduce their own games like Candy Crush and Minecraft. Later, they'll let other companies sell their games too. She mentioned they'll begin with a website because it's easier for everyone to use, no matter where they are or what device they have.

By starting the store on the internet, instead of making an app, Microsoft offers another choice to Apple and Google, who take a 30% cut from sales. This announcement follows Microsoft's long-standing plans to create an Xbox mobile gaming store. Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, mentioned last December that talks were ongoing with partners to launch it soon.

In 2022, Microsoft hinted at a mobile store when it announced its deal to buy Activision Blizzard. They mentioned in documents that acquiring Activision Blizzard would help them grow their mobile gaming. By October 2022, Microsoft's papers with the CMA showed plans for a new "Xbox Mobile Platform," which would have games from Activision and King. While the EU’s Digital Marketing Act (DMA) makes Apple and Google open their app stores, Microsoft wants to offer a different choice in the US and other places.

Microsoft is starting its own online mobile game store to compete with Google's Play Store and Apple's App Store. According to Microsoft, this new competitor will begin in July and will initially only sell Microsoft-owned games like Candy Crush, Farm Heroes, Minecraft's mobile edition, Call of Duty: Mobile, and Diablo Immortal. However, these games may not all be available at once. After the launch, Microsoft's mobile gaming store will gradually add third-party games.

"We've wanted to do this for a while," said Xbox President Sarah Bond in an interview with Bloomberg, sharing the news at the tech conference. Bond explained that a major reason Microsoft sought to acquire Activision Blizzard, which includes mobile game studio King, was to expand into mobile gaming. "There isn't really a gaming platform experience that focuses on players and works seamlessly across different devices," Bond noted. "We're starting with a web-based approach because it ensures accessibility across all devices and countries, regardless of existing ecosystem restrictions," she added. Following the initial web launch, Microsoft's mobile gaming store may evolve into other formats in the future.

Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer had mentioned earlier in November that they were working on a mobile gaming store, considering it a crucial part of their strategy. When asked about Microsoft's recent decision to close four game studios, even though some had created award-winning games, Bond vaguely explained that Microsoft considers other factors when making decisions about its subsidiaries. Microsoft's focus on mobile gaming might be its way of addressing a gaming market that's not growing as fast as it did during the early pandemic. Bond described the gaming industry as being in a transitional phase, with minimal growth over the past year. She also mentioned that the cost of producing high-quality games has risen, which might be pushing Microsoft towards mobile gaming.

Even with many job cuts happening, not all studios are facing difficulties. For instance, Capcom is said to be making more money than ever, largely because of the success of Street Fighter 6 and Dragon's Dogma 2. Microsoft has been discussing its plans for an Xbox mobile gaming store for a few years now, and it's finally set to launch in July. Xbox president Sarah Bond announced the launch date and explained how Microsoft intends to bypass Apple's strict App Store regulations during the Bloomberg Technology Summit earlier today.

"We'll begin by introducing our own games like Candy Crush and Minecraft to the Xbox mobile store," explains Bond. "We're launching on the web because it ensures accessibility across all devices and countries, free from the restrictions of closed ecosystem stores." While Bond mentioned games and the store in her Bloomberg Tech Summit interview, a statement to The Verge presents a slightly different viewpoint.

"This year, we're introducing our first mobile offering where players can find deals on their favorite in-game items and discover new games. It starts on the web so players can access it from anywhere," says Bond. "This web-based store marks the beginning of our journey to create a trusted app store focused on gaming. Initially, it'll feature first-party mobile games from Microsoft's studios like Call of Duty: Mobile and Candy Crush Saga. Eventually, we'll expand to include games from partners too. While games are a big part of the store, we're also aiming to replicate the key aspects of the Xbox experience. We believe there isn't a gaming platform or store that truly spans across devices, where your identity, library, and rewards follow you, regardless of the ecosystem. That's what we're aiming to achieve with our Xbox mobile store."

Microsoft had been developing this store expecting Apple and Google to have to open up their app stores. However, it seems Microsoft doesn't want to wait for the Digital Markets Act to take effect in Europe or any potential actions in the US. Creating a mobile store that's only on the web will be difficult, and it's unclear how Microsoft will make it stand out against the mobile games already on other app stores. Bond suggests that Microsoft will expand beyond just the web, hinting that they might eventually launch a direct competitor to Google and Apple's app stores soon.