Microsoft will be rolling out its mobile games from its own store within the next few months as it is officially launching a web-based store. It was announced by Sarah Bond, Xbox President during the Bloomberg Technology Summit. The store will be a one-stop place where users can download its mobile games and also find other add-ons and in-app purchases at a discounted rate.
Bond notes that the company decided to roll out a browser-based store instead of an app to make sure it is "accessible across all devices, all countries, no matter what" so that you don't get "locked to a single ecosystem." Another spokesperson notes this is "just the first step in [the company's] journey to building a trusted app store with its roots in gaming."
Web-Based Mobile Game Stores
Microsoft Mobile Games is Launching a Web-Based Store
Trend Themes
1. Web-based Game Distribution - The shift to a web-based store for mobile games highlights a trend towards platform-independent game distribution to enhance accessibility and reach.
2. Cross-platform Gaming Accessibility - Ensuring that games are playable across different devices and regions reveals a growing trend in breaking down ecosystem barriers in the gaming industry.
3. Integrated In-app Purchase Ecosystems - The inclusion of a centralized hub for downloading games and in-app purchases indicates a trend towards creating comprehensive and integrated gaming ecosystems.
Industry Implications
1. Mobile Gaming - The mobile gaming industry stands to benefit by adopting web-based, cross-platform strategies to widen their audience and enhance user experience.
2. E-commerce - Integrating game downloads and in-app purchases within a web-based store opens new avenues for the e-commerce industry to offer digital products and services.
3. Cloud Computing - Web-based game stores rely heavily on cloud technology, paving the way for innovations in cloud computing to support extensive and stable gaming services.