Following yesterday's Xbox Business update, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer provided extra details on what gamers can expect in an interview with The Verge.
Journalist Tom Warren asked whether Microsoft would try to bring a proper Xbox Cloud Gaming app to iOS now that Apple has been forced to open up the store in Europe following the arrival of the Digital Markets Act. Apple had also recently eased the requirements for game streaming apps on iOS. Whereas developers had to submit individual apps for each game included, that's no longer the case. Still, Spencer replied that's not happening due to Apple's heavily criticized compliance plan.
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.
On the other hand, Spencer reiterated Microsoft's interest in opening an Xbox store on mobile as soon as possible, adding that it would drive engagement thanks to hits like Candy Crush, Call of Duty, Diablo Immortal, and Minecraft.
The Microsoft executive then explained Game Pass (now at 34 million subscribers) is not at all a 'discrete focus', as the company is perfectly happy with people who just want to keep buying games regularly within the Xbox ecosystem (and elsewhere, too).
Our goal is not to make everybody a Game Pass subscriber. I’ve said many times that maybe 10-15 percent of our content and service revenue is subscriber revenue. It’s a good business for us today, Game Pass, but in no way is there a plan that says ‘Okay, everybody needs to become a Game Pass subscriber.’ We don’t have to have a discrete focus just on Game Pass, we should really just think about the health of the overall business on Xbox.
What did you think of the Xbox business update overall? Vote in the poll below!
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It's a net positive for gamers: increased availability and more revenue to reinvest in new games 49%, 82 votes82 votes 49%82 votes - 49% of all votes
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I don't care either way 37%, 62 votes62 votes 37%62 votes - 37% of all votes
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It's disappointing as an Xbox owner to see exclusives slowly go away 13%, 22 votes22 votes 13%22 votes - 13% of all votes
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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