“I don’t think this is multiple years away, I think this is sooner than that,” says Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer.
Microsoft has made no secret of the fact that it intends to greatly expand its presence in the mobile gaming space, which, in fact, was even one of the critical factors that led to the company’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. To that end, an Xbox mobile store is something that has been in the works for a while now, and it seems those plans are continuing to accelerate.
Speaking recently to Bloomberg, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer reiterated that the company is “actively working on” an Xbox store for mobile devices, and that it’s also in conversation with partners about potential monetization options for mobile titles that will be available on the store.
“It’s an important part of our strategy and something we are actively working on today not only alone, but talking to other partners who’d also like to see more choice for how they can monetize on the phone,” he said.
As for when the store will become a reality, though Spencer didn’t offer a specific timeframe, he did say it’s not something that’s going to take multiple years.
“I don’t think this is multiple years away, I think this is sooner than that,” he said.
This isn’t the first time Microsoft has explicitly spoken about its plans for a mobile Xbox store. The company confirmed in October last year that it was working on a “next generation” mobile store to compete against Apple and Google, while earlier this year, Spencer reiterated those plans.
