Initially launching on the web, the new game store is poised to offer a ‘cross-platform gaming-centric mobile experience’ according to Xbox president Sarah Bond.

Microsoft has shared plans to launch its own Xbox mobile game store as an alternative to the Apple and Google app stores.

Xbox president Sarah Bond revealed yesterday (9 May) that the software giant’s own mobile game store will launch in July, starting with first-party portfolio games such as Candy Crush and Minecraft.

“And then we’re going to extend that capability to partners so that they can also take advantage of it and have a true cross platform gaming-centric mobile experience,” Bond said at the Bloomberg Technology Summit in San Francisco.

The idea is to avoid the fees charged by Apple’s App Store and Google Play Store and making Microsoft and partner games more accessible to a wider group of people. Bond said that the first version of the new app store will be available on the web and not as an app.

“We’re doing that because that really allows us to have it be an experience,” Bond explained. “It’s accessible across all devices, all countries, no matter what, independent of the policies of closed ecosystem stores, and then we’re going to extend from there.”

Microsoft strengthened its position in the global gaming industry with the acquisition of Activision Blizzard last year, but cut thousands of jobs across the newly acquired company and Xbox earlier this year.

Sources and memos seen by media outlets suggest Microsoft is working on a widespread cost-cutting effort in its gaming division, mirroring issues seen across companies in the market, with reports this week suggesting that multiple studios within Xbox have been shut down.

Last month, Rockstar Games parent Take-Two, which owns the Grand Theft Auto franchise, shared plans to fire around 5pc of its workforce and scrap several titles currently in development.

The latest Microsoft Xbox mobile game store comes just months after Apple said it will allow EU users to download apps from competing app stores on iOS in order to comply with the Digital Markets Act.

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