Microsoft Wants to Launch Xbox Games Store on iPhone

[MacRumors]

Microsoft is reportedly preparing to launch an Xbox games store on the iPhone as early as next year, but the plans depend on multiple regulatory measures.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Microsoft's gaming chief Phil Spencer said the app's launch hinges on regulators approving the company's acquisition of video game maker Activision Blizzard, as this would give Microsoft a wider portfolio of mobile games. Second, the app would only be able to launch if the EU's Digital Markets Act and other regulations allowing for alternative app stores on iOS are enforced.

"We want to be in a position to offer Xbox and content from both us and our third-party partners across any screen where somebody would want to play," Spencer told the Financial Times. "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."

In December, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple was preparing to allow alternative app stores on the iPhone in order to comply with the Digital Markets Act, which is expected to come into effect in March 2024. Gurman said Apple was aiming to roll out the changes with an iOS 17 update next year for iPhone users in Europe only. This means the Xbox games store would not be available in the U.S., at least initially.

Xbox already offers a cloud gaming service on the iPhone, but games are only playable via the web instead of the App Store. Apple has faced increasing regulatory scrutiny over its tight control of the App Store, leading the company to make changes in some countries, such as allowing alternative payments in South Korea.

Article Link: Microsoft Wants to Launch Xbox Games Store on iPhone

 

[floral]

I wonder how they would implement controls? Maybe it would be exclusively accessible to iPhones connected to a controller, or else it would be pretty small for playing XBOX games...

 

[SD449]

I have been playing Two Point Campus on my iPad via the Xbox Cloud ‘app’ and its worked ok.
What would a true AppStore/app add?

 

[Gilbeezyskit]

I wonder how they would implement controls? Maybe it would be exclusively accessible to iPhones connected to a controller, or else it would be pretty small for playing XBOX games...

You can currently play cloud games with a connected controller or they have custom on screen controls for a lot of games.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

How about launching Xbox Games specifically for the iPad/iPad Pro? I would love to play Xbox Games on a bigger screen display.

 

[DramaLlamas]

I have been playing Two Point Campus on my iPad via the Xbox Cloud ‘app’ and its worked ok.
What would a true AppStore/app add?

Biggest one is the app store doesnt allow for game pass types of services. Apple wanted MS to list every cloud streaming game separately on the app store, rather than one app to stream through. It was about the range of ratings (adult, PG13, etc) being applied to a single app. MS argued netflix etc already did the same thing just not with games.

PS - Game pass on steam deck is jooooyyyyy.

 

[Spaceboi Scaphandre]

This would be killer. The iOS and Mac App Stores are absolute nightmares trying to find software and games on them. What I would give to be able to buy mobile apps and games from Steam or other places.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

We know how this will go: cut Apple in for their 30% right off the top or else. Apple eats before all others at this table. Nothing matters more to Apple than Apple getting this (first) cut. Apple will accept no competition that endangers 30% revenue share from non-Xbox store game sales.

If there is any danger to revenue maximization, Apple will reject Microsoft. Microsoft will complain. Apple will spin "security" and other catchwords & phrases that has worked to date. Fans will jump on Apple's spin and start slinging the same.

Words like monopoly will be slung. Microsoft might threaten some lawsuits. Fans- including those who will show much enthusiasm now for this- will flip to ripping Microsoft in every possible way.

Regulators may eventually get involved, doing a little song & dance to maximize campaign contributions. Regulators may eventually take some tangible action... or not.

7 or 8 years from now, something might happen to either force Apple to finally play ball or make Microsoft give up the effort. Those wishing they could enjoy Xbox game store games on iDevices between now and then will simply have to wait & see.

We just saw this movie begin a few years ago. See the whole Epic Games saga. Epic is not as powerful as Microsoft but Apple owns and controls its own store. I expect the outcome- and potentially the sequence of events- to be the same UNLESS Microsoft opts to thoroughly pay Apple the full cut Apple demands... or gives up as soon as Apple rejects the opportunity.

 

[BigBag]

Xbox's cloud streaming tech works really well, I wonder if this would provide any performance benefits?

Maybe this would motivate Sony to get off their ass and offer a similar cloud service for their games, too. My Backbone craves more options.

 

[PeterZed]

I am eagerly awaiting the launch of alternative game stores on the xBox!!! Oh wait is that not a thing? I'm confused.

 

[dwaltwhit]

I am not the target demographic, but I think eventually this will be the norm. I don't foresee myself using alternative app stores, but I think we will see in the next couple years that Apple will ultimately lose this battle. I also don't think it would be the downfall of the Apple App store; I think a majority of users will stick with the walled garden, and this will simply provide more choice for consumers. I DO think that there will be problems with people downloading apps that will have adverse effects on their hardware, and Apple will be able to say "tolja so!" but I think by and large, but everything will be just fine, especially for vanilla users like me.

 

[Spaceboi Scaphandre]

How about launching Xbox Games specifically for the iPad/iPad Pro? I would love to play Xbox Games on a bigger screen display.

With alternative app stores and sideloading soon being enforced, you may get your wish.

I have been playing Two Point Campus on my iPad via the Xbox Cloud ‘app’ and its worked ok.
What would a true AppStore/app add?

Xbox Live integration for one. Apple Arcade/Game Center is absolutely garbage with how it handles achievements and friends list, so integrating Xbox Live, Playstation Network, and/or Steam for mobile games would make so many more people happy. There's a lot of people who have a hobby of achievement/trophy hunting, going for the Platinum for every game they can. (A Platinum Trophy is a special PSN trophy awarded for earning all a game's achievements. It's basically the ultimate seal that you 100% completed a game.)

I wonder how they would implement controls? Maybe it would be exclusively accessible to iPhones connected to a controller, or else it would be pretty small for playing XBOX games...

They already have this for Xbox Cloud on Android: You can either use customizable touch screen controls, or if a game needs a proper controller you can pair an Xbox controller to your phone. Backbone also makes controllers designed just for phones that come in Xbox or Playstation layout.

We know how this will go: cut Apple in for their 30% right off the top or else. Apple eats before all others at the table. Nothing matters more than Apple getting this (first) cut. Apple will accept no competition that endangers 30% revenue share from non-Xbox store game sales.

If there is any danger to revenue maximization, Apple will reject Microsoft. Microsoft will complain. Apple will spin "security" and other catchwords that has worked to date. Fans will jump on Apple's spin and start slinging the same.

Words like monopoly will be slung. Microsoft might threaten some lawsuits. Fans will rip Microsoft in every way.

Regulators may get involved, doing a little song & dance to maximize campaign contributions. Regulators may eventually take some tangible action... or not.

7 or 8 years from now, something might happen to either force Apple to finally play ball or make Microsoft give up the effort. Those wishing they could enjoy Xbox game store games on iDevices will simply have to wait & see.

You do know that iOS 17 is rumored to be enabling alternative app stores/sideloading because the Digital Markets Act is forcing Apple to comply by next year right? Plus the Biden Administration put out an order for American legislation to force Apple to do the same, and Japan is planning on creating laws for it as well.

Xbox's cloud streaming tech works really well, I wonder if this would provide any performance benefits?

Maybe this would motivate Sony to get off their ass and offer a similar cloud service for their games, too. My Backbone craves more options.

Sony already has a cloud service. It's available in the PSPlus Premium tier.

I am eagerly awaiting the launch of alternative game stores on the xBox!!! Oh wait is that not a thing? I'm confused.

It is a thing. You can purchase Dev Mode for $20 and can sideload apps on an Xbox.

 

[coffeemilktea]

this would give Microsoft a wider portfolio of mobile games

And here I'd hoped this whole thing meant playing old-school XBOX games natively on the iPhone; I'd really hoped to be able to play Halo 3 on the go even with no Internet connection. 😩

 

[k1121j]

Sound like they are just trying to naked the regulators think it’s a good idea if they acquire blizzard. Knowing well they won’t do any of that just reducing competition in the end.

 

[k1121j]

This would be killer. The iOS and Mac App Stores are absolute nightmares trying to find software and games on them. What I would give to be able to buy mobile apps and games from Steam or other places.

I’ll agree with that they are a mess with searching / discovering poor filters. You pretty much only get to see what Apple wants (meaning their select catagories and filters) you to see otherwise you have to pretty much search by name to discover

 

[BigBag]

Sony already has a cloud service. It's available in the PSPlus Premium tier.

Sony does not have a cloud service akin to Xbox cloud gaming. Sony lets you remotely play your own Playstation console, and they let you stream games to your Playstation console. Sony does not offer the ability to play a game on your computer or mobile device that is coming from their cloud-based source.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

You do know that iOS 17 is rumored to be enabling alternative app stores/sideloading because the Digital Markets Act is forcing Apple to comply by next year right? Plus the Biden Administration put out an order for American legislation to force Apple to do the same, and Japan is planning on creating laws for it as well.

It's easy to write proclamations and laws but getting them actually implemented is a whole other thing. We should all believe it when we see it. Apple could simply stall implementation in protracted court battles for a near countless number of years.

We once had a constitutional amendment banning alcohol. There is no American law above the Constitution. How did that one go in actual practice?

We also have laws outlawing drugs, stealing, murder, etc. How have they done against the actions.

We've had many laws and legal actions against companies throughout history. How have those done in altering the behavior of companies... especially when the legal action threatens their profitability?

 

[maxoakland]

Apple should allow sideloading but not 3rd party app/game stores. What a terrible experience that would be

 

[Spaceboi Scaphandre]

Apple should allow sideloading but not 3rd party app/game stores. What a terrible experience that would be

Steam is a third party app store and it's the #1 Windows app store on the planet, a juggernaut that even Microsoft and Sony can't ignore and have brought their exclusives to. Said app store is also available on Mac and has been since 2010

 

[txscott]

Remember, alternate app stores and side loading on iOS and iPadOS is not about the money Apple is charging for access. That is at best a minor consideration. The main reason MSFT et al want side loading and alt app stores is to be able to side step Apple's rules regarding what data they can collect and what Apple requires them to disclose about what data they are collecting.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Apple should allow sideloading but not 3rd party app/game stores. What a terrible experience that would be

Mac has always allowed purchases of apps from any source. No big problems. No big security issues. No banking hacks stealing all of us Mac users money. No viruses locking up all of our Macs with ransomware.

We believe your statement only because Apple has said it... reinforced by suggestions of security compromises, etc... in spite of the enormous real evidence experienced by all of us that Mac "freedoms" to buy apps anywhere does not result in complete devastation of life as we know it.

Competition means better prices. Not every other store would require 30% off of the top. Competition limited to only trimming that down could deliver better prices while paying the creators of the apps the same... or more.

I'm an Apple everything guy but it's easy to see that the flexibility to source apps from beyond the Apple store would be no more trouble than the same flexibility we all enjoy with our Macs now. It can't be fine with the latter but world destroying for the former.

Alternate stores would simply be bad for Apple profits by completely controlling a single source of apps in one store. All of the nonsense about third party stores revolves around protecting that very lucrative arrangement above all else. All of the rationale made up in support of that is invented to make us believe that it is better to get our apps from only a single source at whatever price that store OWNER wants.

If we alter the scenario by slugging in some other name as store owner- say Microsoft, Google, Samsung, AT&T, Verizon, Comcast or similar- do we still make very passionate arguments for a single source of anything we buy being better for us consumers? Almost certainly not... because one seller is always very bad for consumers.

 

[Spaceboi Scaphandre]

Remember, alternate app stores and side loading on iOS and iPadOS is not about the money Apple is charging for access. That is at best a minor consideration. The main reason MSFT et al want side loading and alt app stores is to be able to side step Apple's rules regarding what data they can collect and what Apple requires them to disclose about what data they are collecting.

I mean...Microsoft wanted to put Xbox Game Pass for Cloud on iOS, but Apple won't let them because they want every individual game ON A CLOUD SERVICE to have an app similarly to Apple Arcade.

Android does not have this dumb requirement which is why Xbox Cloud is available on Android natively in the Google Play Store but not iOS.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Remember, alternate app stores and side loading on iOS and iPadOS is not about the money Apple is charging for access. That is at best a minor consideration. The main reason MSFT et al want side loading and alt app stores is to be able to side step Apple's rules regarding what data they can collect and what Apple requires them to disclose about what data they are collecting.

No, it is about the money. All decisions made that seem objectively anti-consumer are about the money.

If Apple's store is obviously superior to consumers, competition should not endanger it. However, once there are multiple stores, there will be competition for pricing. If the app being purchased costs less on Store B or D or Q than Store A, some will be drawn to save money via the power of competition. That's how all consumerism works now... and that benefit of multiple competitors is one of the key parts of capitalism that actually works for us buyers. Losing that ability to "shop around" sets us up to pay whatever a single seller wants for whatever they sell.

If store B or D or Q is going to exist to exploit our personal security, buyers quickly figure out the danger of shopping in those stores and shift to those not playing such games. If all play them, store A wins loyalty while freely allowing more dangerous stores to exist. This exists in retail now (and with all of the Mac app stores that exist now). You can do your shopping in very secure places or shop in very dangerous places. If you know some place is dangerous- or if you only HEAR some place is dangerous- you probably don't shop there. Thus, those offering a tangible benefit like a more secure transaction wins more transactions by choice... not by force.

 

[TheMacDaddy1]

I am not the target demographic, but I think eventually this will be the norm. I don't foresee myself using alternative app stores, but I think we will see in the next couple years that Apple will ultimately lose this battle. I also don't think it would be the downfall of the Apple App store; I think a majority of users will stick with the walled garden, and this will simply provide more choice for consumers. I DO think that there will be problems with people downloading apps that will have adverse effects on their hardware, and Apple will be able to say "tolja so!" but I think by and large, but everything will be just fine, especially for vanilla users like me.

Agreed. I will not buy an app from another app store for my iDevices. I like my walled garden. I like it on my Xbox Series X as well.

 

[vladimirc]

it's so dumb on apple side to not allow a fully functional xbox app on their own app store. It's obviously something that consumers want and they have been stopping it with absurd demands, such as a separate app for each game. They have been doing this blatently to harm competition towards they own (abysmal) Apple arcade subscription service. Now, regulators are stepping in and will force alternative stores, which will be a mess for users and expose them to all sorts of malware. Apple is really at fault here