Overview
- Xbox chief Asha Sharma said Wednesday the idea of an Xbox mobile store is not dead and cited an amicus brief filed three weeks ago in Epic v. Google.
- The test site that Microsoft used for the project now throws an error, and its last visible update was about a year ago, according to developer redphx and subsequent reports.
- Microsoft is urging the court in Epic v. Google to open Android to rival stores, which could mean Play Store distribution in the US or easier installs through Google’s upcoming Registered App Store program abroad.
- Under former Xbox president Sarah Bond, the store was slated for July 2024, then delayed, and later pivoted to a web model that offered perks like a 10% 'Crusher Club' bonus on in‑app currency.
- Tight Apple and Google rules still gatekeep mobile distribution, so players and publishers have few real alternatives, and Microsoft is waiting on EU enforcement or US court remedies before a full launch.