Earlier this yr, Microsoft shelled out a whopping $68 billion to amass the favored online game developer and writer Activision Blizzard. Whereas the acquisition strengthened Microsoft’s place within the gaming house, it additionally turned the heads of some authorities, the Competitors and Markets Authority of the UK being certainly one of them. The organisation is worried concerning the lessening of the competitors after this acquisition takes place. Nonetheless, in a shocking flip of occasions, Microsoft’s response to CMA comprises references to a brand new Xbox Retailer for cell, which may compete with the Google Play Retailer and the Apple App Retailer.
Microsoft’s response to CMA reveals plans to create a web-based app retailer
In an official doc titled Microsoft’s Response To The CMA’s Reference Choice, the Redmond-based firm mentions that its acquisition of Activision Blizzard will enhance its skill to create a next-generation sport retailer which works on a number of gadgets, together with cell.
The corporate plans to leverage the present neighborhood of players round Activision Blizzard’s common video games corresponding to Name of Obligation: Cellular and Sweet Crush Saga for the Xbox Retailer, “attracting players to a brand new Xbox Cellular Platform.” Microsoft additionally mentions that making shoppers swap from the Google Play Retailer and the Apple App Retailer would require a significant shift in client behaviour.
Why does Microsoft want its personal app retailer?
However why does Microsoft need to create an app retailer for cell? Properly, Microsoft has been within the online game business for a very long time. The corporate makes probably the most common gaming consoles, the Xbox. Now, to promote extra gaming consoles, Microsoft wants video games to draw folks, proper? Therefore, the corporate additionally invests in online game improvement, by the Xbox Recreation Studios or collaborations with different corporations. Whereas a few of these video games are created solely for consoles, some are additionally out there on cell platforms.
Nonetheless, Irrespective of how good a sport is, it must be listed with others on a web-based app retailer. At current, Google and Apple have a monopoly over the app distribution ecosystem on Android smartphones and Apple iPhones, respectively. From what it seems like, Microsoft needs to go previous all these restrictions and limitations of getting its sport on a third-party retailer and attain out to the gamer neighborhood instantly.
Therefore, it’s planning to create a web-based sport retailer, additionally known as the Xbox Retailer for cell. Whereas that was our tackle Microsoft’s plans to create a cell app retailer, the corporate additionally mentions within the doc that the acquisition “will convey much-needed experience in cell sport improvement, advertising and promoting.”