Back in February, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer mentioned in an interview that the company wanted to launch a mobile game store service. At the time he said:
We definitely get support from regulators when we talk about opening up mobile and being a credible third-party alternative on those devices — and we’re a long way from there today.
More recently, unconfirmed reports stated Microsoft was indeed working on launching a mobile game store and wanted it to be the “Steam of Mobile” with favorable economic terms for developers and publishers.
Today, in a chat with Bloomberg during an appearance at the Brazil pop culture convention CCXP, Spencer confirmed that such a project is not only in development but Microsoft has been in discussions with other companies about launching a mobile game store.
In the article, Spencer stated:
It’s an important part of our strategy and something we are actively working on today not only alone, but talking to other partners who’d also like to see more choice for how they can monetize on the phone.
Spencer later added:
We’ve talked about choice, and today on your mobile phones, you don’t have choice. To make sure that Xbox is not only relevant today but for the next 10, 20 years, we’re going to have to be strong across many screens.
Spencer would not offer any details on when Microsoft might launch its mobile game store, saying only, “I don’t think this is multiple years away, I think this is sooner than that.”
Spencer has said in the past that the biggest reason why Microsoft wanted to acquire Activision Blizzard was not getting access to big console game franchises. Rather it was to have a bigger presence in the mobile game market with King’s games like Candy Crush Saga, along with other popular smartphone games like Call of Duty Mobile,