Syed Imran Haider 
Microsoft is all set to build its mobile games store to break duopoly. It also has begun banking on regulation to initiate the startup. The tech industry witnessed Google and Apple having a stranglehold on mobile app supply via their app store.
Although Google’s Android offers users access to alternative app stores, they fail to compete significantly with the Play Store. According to Phil Spencer – Microsoft’s gaming head, the European Union Market Act will come into effect in the first quarter of next year. It will allow the company meets the mobile app store’s goals. The Digital Market Act will let companies load their app stores on Android devices and iPhones by requesting Google and Apple to unlock their systems.
Spencer told the digital media that Google wants to offer Xbox games and content from the company and its third-party partners on any screen where players would like to play. Presently, the tech giant cannot do it on mobile devices, but it wants to move towards building a world that it thinks will be coming where those gadgets can open up.
On the other hand, Microsoft has faced numerous troubles with Apple concerning its Cloud Gaming application. The iPhone manufacturer entailed users to take all games available to play using Microsoft’s cloud contribution, including Fortnite. Accordingly, the software giant now asks individuals to sign in via the Safari browser and keep going by following the given instructions. It is worth mentioning that most users find these instructions uneasy, unlike downloading an application from the App Store.
Microsoft’s Decision is not Unseal Â
Given Apple’s enforced restrictions on downloads and in-app purchases, Microsoft has decided to start making its separate games store, which is a usual move in the tech industry. The iPhone maker and the tech giant did not immediately respond to questions regarding Microsoft’s goal to make an alternative app store.
In the last few years, Microsoft has managed to acquire many games studios, including Playground Games, Ninja Theory, ZeniMax Media, and Activision Blizzard. Its latest acquisition may offer it a footing in the mobile market via an exclusive store having exciting titles like Candy Crush Saga or Call of Duty Mobile with many new releases. While Activision Blizzard had made significant revenue from mobile games, Microsoft’s move to control distribution through its unique games store will offer Microsoft an essential edge.
Potential ChallengesÂ
While Microsoft may face numerous challenges, the biggest one is to complete the Activision Blizzard deal as the company sees regulators from the EU, the UK, and the US analyzing the merger. In February, the UK-based Competition & Markets Authority or CMA told the media that it had launched an antimonopoly inquiry into the deal because it might require the gamers to pay higher prices for fewer choices.
Microsoft was ready to offer a long-term commitment to bring popular games, including Call of Duty, to its competitors’ platform to appease as an effort to appease the regulator. The company has recently agreed to sign a 10-year deal to make Xbox games available to Nintendo consoles. Moreover, it has announced to obtain these games from Ubitus, Boosteroid, and Nvidia. to cloud gaming services.
