Microsoft To Rival Google And Apple With Mobile Games Store

A report from Financial Times states that Microsoft is looking to become relevant in the mobile games market. Previously, Phil Spencer has said that acquiring Activision Blizzard is more about mobile gaming than franchises like Call of Duty.

The report states Microsoft may plunge into the market as soon as 2024 once the Activision merger is completed. Phil Spencer said:

“Today we can’t do that on mobile devices(offer Xbox content freely), but we want to build towards a world that we think will be coming where those devices are opened up.”

Currently, the mobile industry is dominated by Apple and Google. Both companies have separate app stores, which have been relevant for over a decade. As such, it is tough for new competition to break through.

Google and Apple have built a robust ecosystem around these stores and their hardware. Previously, Microsoft also struggled to provide cloud gaming on the Apple store, with both companies being in disagreement over the topic.

Phil Spencer believes games like Call of Duty, Candy Crush Saga, and Diablo Immortal will be critical elements to launching a successful platform, making the Activision Blizzard merger essential to Microsoft’s mobile games store ambition.

Apple and Google are expected to open their ecosystems to third-party app stores following the EU’s Digital Markets Act in 2024. This, combined with the Activision merger, is what Phil Spencer is betting on for Microsoft’s entry into the mobile market.

However, it is difficult to predict the future. Even a tech giant like Microsoft will struggle to make a name for itself on the platform, but Phil Spencer believes the widespread availability of phones makes it the largest platform people play on.

Therefore, an investment might be worth Microsoft’s time and efforts.

With Microsoft’s current investments and future ambitions, the coming years will be exciting for the Xbox platform. Not only is Xbox expected to see a huge improvement in the first-party games output after the various acquisitions, but the gaming brand may also become a prominent force in the mobile games market.