Microsoft confirmed it doesn’t plan to bring an Xbox Cloud Gaming app to iOS because there isn’t “room” for monetization.
The comment comes from Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer in a recent interview with The Verge. Specifically, Spencer was asked about Apple’s changes in the EU to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) — Spencer said the changes “definitely don’t go far enough to open up competition.” Read the full comment below:
“There’s not room for us to monetize Xbox Cloud Gaming on iOS. I think the proposal that Apple put forward — and I thought Sarah Bond’s comments on this were right on — doesn’t go far enough to open up. In fact, you might even say they go the opposite direction in some way, but they definitely don’t go far enough to open up competition on the world’s largest gaming platform.
“We will continue to work with regulators, and Apple and Google, to create a space for alternative storefronts. I’m a big fan of how Windows works, and you’ve got a Microsoft Store on Windows, you’ve got Steam, you’ve got the Epic Games Store, you’ve got GOG. You have alternatives, and I think alternative ways for people to buy things creates goodness for consumers and creators. I think the largest platform for gamers, which is mobile, should have the same.”
Spencer’s comments track with Xbox’s position on Apple, the App Store, and regulation in the EU. As referenced by Spencer, Xbox president Sarah Bond called Apple’s changes in response to the DMA a “step in the wrong direction” last month. And Xbox hasn’t been the only vocal critic of Apple’s changes.
At the same time, Spencer’s comments could be seen as hypocritical, given that Xbox is similarly locked down. There’s only one store option on Xbox — Microsoft’s store — and Microsoft takes a 30 percent cut of all apps, games, and in-app purchases sold on Xbox. However, Microsoft does allow non-game sellers to use their own payment systems to avoid the fee. The company also previously considered reducing its Xbox commission to 12 percent, though it never followed through on the plan.
Source: The Verge
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