REDMOND (dpa-AFX) - During the Bloomberg Technology Summit, Microsoft Corp.
(MSFT) announced that it plans to launch a new mobile game store in July.

This store, which is yet to be given a name, will be introduced on web browsers
instead of as a designated app.

Xbox president, Sarah Bond, disclosed that the company plans to include its
first-party portfolio, which includes popular games such as Candy Crush and
Minecraft, in the mobile store at its launch. Microsoft intends to invite other
publishers to join the platform in the future.

According to Bond, the company's primary reason for launching the store
initially on the web is to provide an accessible experience across all devices
and countries, independent of the policies of closed ecosystem stores. Microsoft
plans to expand the store later on. By avoiding an app-based launch, the company
seeks to offer an alternative to Apple and Google, which levy a 30% fee on
sales.

Microsoft first hinted at a mobile store in 2022 when it announced the
acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The store will initially showcase titles
mainly from Activision Blizzard. Nevertheless, an Xbox spokesperson stated that
this is just the first phase in Microsoft's endeavor to establish a trustworthy
app store centered on gaming. While Microsoft intends to include third-party
publishers in the future, they did not disclose a specific timeline for this
expansion.



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