Xbox CEO Says Idea of a Mobile Store is “Not Dead”
The Xbox Mobile Store, Microsoft’s long-announced project to compete with Apple App Store and Google Play Store, appears to be stalled. The store page on the official Xbox website currently returns error messages, with multiple test URLs showing 404 errors.
Microsoft first revealed plans for the Xbox mobile store in 2022, with former Xbox president Sarah Bond promising a launch in July 2024. That deadline has clearly passed without a public launch. The original ambition was to create a rival to the dominant mobile app stores controlled by Apple and Google.
Despite the non-functional page, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has pushed back against reports that the project is completely dead. When alerted to the store page’s removal, Sharma responded that “the idea of an Xbox mobile store is not dead,” though she acknowledged she is still “learning” the details of the initiative. This suggests Microsoft may still be exploring the concept, even if the current implementation has been shelved.
The Mobile Store is distinct from the mobile storefront already available on the Xbox app itself, which only allows purchases of console and PC games rather than mobile titles. Microsoft’s broader effort to expand into mobile gaming through Game Pass and cloud services has faced various obstacles, particularly regarding app store regulations and requirements from Apple and Google. The status of the project remains unclear, with the significant gap between the promised launch date and the current non-functional store page suggesting either substantial delays or a reassessment of the initiative’s viability.