New Delhi: Microsoft on Thursday announced its plans to launch a new mobile gaming store later this year. Xbox president Sarah Bond made the revelation during a recent Bloomberg event. 

Bond mentioned that the store will be web-based rather than app-based, ensuring accessibility across all devices and countries independent of closed ecosystem store policies. The store, likely to be launched in July, creates an alternative to Apple Inc. and Google’s app stores. 

Microsoft intends to facilitate gaming experiences across consoles, computers, and mobile devices, hinting that the popular cross-platform game Minecraft may be among the early additions to the web store, added Bond. In late 2023, Microsoft gaming head Phil Spencer shared that the company is in talks with partners to launch its own Xbox app store.

The move sets the stage for renewed competition between Microsoft, Google and Apple, since most mobile games are sold and downloaded through their respective app stores.

Microsoft has been trailing its competitors in the lucrative $90 billion mobile gaming market. However, with its recent acquisition of Activision Blizzard for $69 billion, the company's Xbox unit is now positioned to make a significant impact. Activision Blizzard, known for hit titles like Candy Crush and Call of Duty, stands as a major player in the industry. Candy Crush been downloaded over 5 billion times since its launch in 2012, generating $20 billion in revenue.

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