Microsoft is reportedly considering the development of a mobile games store for iPhones and Android smartphones, with plans to launch as early as next year, pending regulatory approval of its $75 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, according to recent reports.
The Financial Times reports that Microsoft’s gaming chief, Phil Spencer, has stated that the EU’s Digital Market Act (DMA), set to come into effect in March 2024, will aid the company in achieving its mobile app store goals. The DMA will enable businesses to load their app stores onto iPhones and Android phones by requesting that Apple and Google open up their systems.
Phil Spencer, Microsoft’s gaming head, has been quoted as saying, “Our goal is to provide Xbox and content from our third-party partners on any screen where people want to play.”
“Today, we can’t do that on mobile devices but we want to build towards a world that we think will be coming where those devices are opened up,” added Spencer.
Regulators in the US, Europe, and the UK have expressed concerns about the impact on competition that could result from the Xbox console’s owner, Microsoft, acquiring the developer of Call of Duty, one of the most popular game franchises worldwide. As a result, Microsoft is currently in a battle with these regulators.
A report from Politico, citing anonymous sources, has revealed that last month, the European Union formally issued an antitrust warning to Microsoft regarding its proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The notice reportedly detailed concerns about the potential threat to fair competition in the video game market, as EU officials outlined the reasons behind their objections to the deal.
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed a lawsuit against tech giant Microsoft, seeking to prevent its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, a major video game developer.
According to the same report, Phil Spencer is of the opinion that the acquisition will boost competition on the dominant platform for gaming, which he identifies as smartphones. Currently, distribution of games and apps on this platform is largely controlled by a “duopoly” consisting of Apple and Google, a situation that some antitrust authorities have expressed concern about.
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