Microsoft is working on a mobile game store pending approval of the Activision acquisition and the EU Digital Markets Act. This obliges smartphone makers, among other things, to open up their systems to other app stores.

This says Xbox team lead Phil Spencer at a Financial Times interview. This game store is under development for Android and iOS, and it makes it possible, for example, to provide easier access to games. Now Xbox Cloud Gaming is no longer available on iOS because Apple does not allow it, Microsoft claims. The service can only be used in the browser, which results in poor performance. Also, games must be downloaded individually from the App Store and such purchases may not be made within another app. Owned by Epic Games Litigation against Apple, among others For the same reasons.

Microsoft also says on the acquisition of Activision Blizzard that the company has a “clear gap” in its mobile gaming offerings and that the acquisition is necessary to close that gap. Activision Blizzard has mobile games like Call of Duty Mobile, Diablo Immortal, and Candy Crush in its portfolio.

This acquisition is not yet complete. The European Commission seems to be content with Microsoft’s promises of competition, but the UK’s Financial Market Authority and the US Federal Trade Commission are still very important. The European Digital Markets Act is final and will come into full effect in 2024. This should limit the power of big tech companies. Tweakers wrote a back story on the subject.