The growing pressure against the abuse of a dominant position or monopolies exercised by certain corporations over their ecosystems has ended up being transformed into legislation that will force them to open their hands. This is the case of the Digital Markets Act/DMA of the European Union, of which Xbox will be used, quite possibly, to launch your own store for iOS and Android.
To make no bones about it, the European Union’s Digital Markets Law will force Apple and Google to open iOS and Android respectively to third-party stores starting in March 2024. Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, came out a few days ago. weeks to show the division’s intentions to bring its own game store to the two major operating systems in the mobility sector, although We will see if in the end said store is limited to games or goes beyondsince there are aspects such as the fee charged to developers that could open the door to competition.
The laws that would force Apple and Google to open their ecosystems may be the great opportunity for Microsoft to resurrect itself in a sector that has generally resisted it: mobility. The Redmond-based giant tried in the past with the purchase of Nokia and the push for Windows Phone, but ultimately ended up succumbing after his bet didn’t take off. That failure forced him to go through the hoops of Apple and Google, although that does not take away the high demand for his services and products such as Outlook and Microsoft Office, which are a success even on competing platforms.
The existence of an Xbox store for iOS and Android it would keep Microsoft competing with Apple and Google from within, but at least it would have a chance to set its own terms instead of swallowing the impositions and regulations of its rivals. But while it can’t be ruled out that the presumed Xbox store sells and distributes more than just video games, it’s also unlikely that Microsoft will pull its apps and services from the App Store and Play Store.
Although it may not seem like it, the acquisition of Activision-Blizzard may be important for the future Xbox store on iOS and Android, since the Redmond giant would take over titles like Call of Duty Mobile, Diablo Immortal and Candy Crush Saga. The Game Pass service is also out there, whose momentum is closely related to the purchases of companies that Microsoft has carried out in recent years.
