Microsoft insists its long‑rumoured Xbox mobile store is still alive despite the project’s website suddenly disappearing.
Microsoft has insisted its long‑teased Xbox mobile game store isn’t dead — even though the web link for the service quietly stopped working and fans assumed the whole thing had been scrapped.
The confusion kicked off when users noticed the URL for the browser‑based version of the store had gone dark.
But Microsoft Gaming boss Asha Sharma jumped in to shut down rumours, saying the company is still pushing to break Apple and Google’s grip on mobile apps.
Posting on X, she said: “Three weeks ago, we filed an amicus because mobile competition still matters and we believe the future of play should be more open. While I am still learning, the idea of an Xbox mobile store is not dead.”
The project was originally announced by former Xbox president Sarah Bond, who promised a July 2024 launch — a date that came and went as legal battles over app‑store rules dragged on.
Sharma’s comments point to Microsoft’s ongoing support for the Epic v Google case, which recently forced Google to open the door to third‑party Android stores.
As part of the settlement, Google agreed to let rival app stores be installed directly from the web worldwide, without the usual “unknown sources” warning screens — except in the US.
In America, a proposed court order could go even further, potentially requiring Google to let competing stores be downloaded straight from the Google Play Store itself.
Microsoft backed that plan in a legal filing, saying the injunction has “enabled innovation, spurred technological development, and promoted competition.”
Epic Games boss Tim Sweeney, who has spent years fighting for a more open Android ecosystem, cheered Microsoft on, calling the update “great news” and saying the settlement ensures the Xbox store can launch without the old scare screens.
Xbox plots comeback for its mobile game store after URL mysteriously vanishes
