Microsoft Wants to Launch Xbox Games Store on iPhone

Microsoft is reportedly preparing to launch an Xbox games store on the iPhone as early as next year, but the plans depend on multiple regulatory measures.

App Store and XCloud
In an interview with the Financial Times, Microsoft's gaming chief Phil Spencer said the app's launch hinges on regulators approving the company's acquisition of video game maker Activision Blizzard, as this would give Microsoft a wider portfolio of mobile games. Second, the app would only be able to launch if the EU's Digital Markets Act and other regulations allowing for alternative app stores on iOS are enforced.

"We want to be in a position to offer Xbox and content from both us and our third-party partners across any screen where somebody would want to play," Spencer told the Financial Times. "Today, we can't do that on mobile devices, but we want to build towards a world that we think will be coming where those devices are opened up."

In December, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple was preparing to allow alternative app stores on the iPhone in order to comply with the Digital Markets Act, which is expected to come into effect in March 2024. Gurman said Apple was aiming to roll out the changes with an iOS 17 update next year for iPhone users in Europe only. This means the Xbox games store would not be available in the U.S., at least initially.

Xbox already offers a cloud gaming service on the iPhone, but games are only playable via the web instead of the App Store. Apple has faced increasing regulatory scrutiny over its tight control of the App Store, leading the company to make changes in some countries, such as allowing alternative payments in South Korea.

Popular Stories

iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.1 Beta 1

Monday September 22, 2025 12:44 pm PDT by
Apple released the first beta of iOS 26.1 today, just a week after launching iOS 26. iOS 26.1 mainly adds new languages to Apple Intelligence, but there are a few other features that are worth knowing about. New Apple Intelligence Languages Apple Intelligence is now available in Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. AirPo...
apple tv 4k new orange

Next Apple TV Expected to Launch This Year With These New Features

Monday September 22, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
The next Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Likely Features N1 Chip With Wi-Fi 7 Last year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the next Apple TV would be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, which is...
Apple Intelligence General Feature 2

iOS 26.1 Adds New Apple Intelligence Languages and Expands AirPods Live Translation

Monday September 22, 2025 11:15 am PDT by
With iOS 26.1, Apple Intelligence is gaining support for additional languages, including Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. Apple announced plans to expand the languages that can be used with Apple Intelligence last year, and now the added language support is here. Apple Intelligence is now available in the following...
iPhone 17 Pro USB C Port

iPhone 17 Pro Max's USB-C Charging Speeds Tested With Apple Chargers

Monday September 22, 2025 7:29 am PDT by
The website ChargerLAB has tested the iPhone 17 Pro Max's USB-C charging speeds with a variety of Apple's chargers, from 18W to 140W. The device reached a peak charging speed of around 36W with the following Apple chargers:40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max 61W USB-C Power Adapter 67W USB-C Power Adapter 70W USB-C Power Adapter 96W USB-C Power Adapter 140W USB-C Power AdapterFor...
iPhone 17 Pro and Air N1 Feature

Some iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone Air Users Experiencing Intermittent Wi-Fi Issue

Monday September 22, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple's latest iPhone models launched on Friday, and some early adopters of the devices are experiencing intermittent Wi-Fi issues. Affected customers say Wi-Fi connectivity periodically cuts out on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air, with hundreds of comments about the issue posted across the MacRumors Forums, Reddit, and the Apple Support Community over the...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone Like 'Two Titanium iPhone Airs' Joined at the Hinge

Monday September 22, 2025 2:16 am PDT by
Next year's rumored foldable iPhone will showcase an ultra-thin design resembling "two titanium iPhone Airs side-by-side," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in the Q&A section of his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says Apple's first foldable device will be "super thin and a design achievement," combining Apple's thinnest iPhone form factor with cutting-edge folding...
iPhone 17 Pro Colors

Skipped the iPhone 17 Pro? Here's What is Rumored for iPhone 18 Pro

Tuesday September 23, 2025 8:55 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still a year away, there are already a few rumors about the devices that offer an early look ahead. Below, we have recapped some of the early iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. This story was published previously, and it has been updated to reflect the latest rumors. Many early rumors prove to be true, but nothing is confirmed yet, and Apple's...
iphone 17 pro dark blue 1

Apple Blames In-Store MagSafe Chargers for iPhone 17 Pro Display Model Scratches

Wednesday September 24, 2025 10:22 am PDT by
The marks on the iPhone 17 Pro models that people have noticed at Apple retail stores are caused by the chargers that Apple uses, Apple confirmed today. Apple told 9to5Mac that worn MagSafe charging stands in stores are causing marks on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Apple says that the marks are not scratches, and are instead material transfer from the stand to the phone. The...
ios 26 digital id passport wallet

Apple Confirms iOS 26 Wallet Passport Feature is Coming in 2025

Tuesday September 23, 2025 1:06 pm PDT by
Digital ID, the iOS 26 feature that lets U.S. passport holders add their passports to the Wallet app, is coming later in 2025, Apple confirmed today. Apple updated the release timing wording of Digital ID on its iOS 26 features page. "Digital ID will be coming later this year with US passports only," it reads. Prior to today, the footnote for the feature said "Digital ID will be available ...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro is Vulnerable to Scratching, But Not Where You Might Think

Tuesday September 23, 2025 2:18 pm PDT by
Early reports have suggested that the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air are more vulnerable to scratches and scuffs, primarily due to damage spotted at Apple Stores. Apple customers have discovered that the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models Apple has out for display at its retail locations have scratching in the area of the MagSafe charger. Those devices are handled by hundreds to thousands of...

Top Rated Comments

PeterZed Avatar
33 months ago
I am eagerly awaiting the launch of alternative game stores on the xBox!!! Oh wait is that not a thing? I'm confused.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
33 months ago
How about launching Xbox Games specifically for the iPad/iPad Pro? I would love to play Xbox Games on a bigger screen display.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Spaceboi Scaphandre Avatar
33 months ago
This would be killer. The iOS and Mac App Stores are absolute nightmares trying to find software and games on them. What I would give to be able to buy mobile apps and games from Steam or other places.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Spaceboi Scaphandre Avatar
33 months ago

Apple should allow sideloading but not 3rd party app/game stores. What a terrible experience that would be
Steam is a third party app store and it's the #1 Windows app store on the planet, a juggernaut that even Microsoft and Sony can't ignore and have brought their exclusives to. Said app store is also available on Mac and has been since 2010
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
33 months ago

Apple should allow sideloading but not 3rd party app/game stores. What a terrible experience that would be
Mac has always allowed purchases of apps from any source. No big problems. No big security issues. No banking hacks stealing all of us Mac users money. No viruses locking up all of our Macs with ransomware.

We believe your statement only because Apple has said it... reinforced by suggestions of security compromises, etc... in spite of the enormous real evidence experienced by all of us that Mac "freedoms" to buy apps anywhere does not result in complete devastation of life as we know it.

Competition means better prices. Not every other store would require 30% off of the top. Competition limited to only trimming that down could deliver better prices while paying the creators of the apps the same... or more.

I'm an Apple everything guy but it's easy to see that the flexibility to source apps from beyond the Apple store would be no more trouble than the same flexibility we all enjoy with our Macs now. It can't be fine with the latter but world destroying for the former.

Alternate stores would simply be bad for Apple profits by completely controlling a single source of apps in one store. All of the nonsense about third party stores revolves around protecting that very lucrative arrangement above all else. All of the rationale made up in support of that is invented to make us believe that it is better to get our apps from only a single source at whatever price that store OWNER wants.

If we alter the scenario by slugging in some other name as store owner- say Microsoft, Google, Samsung, AT&T, Verizon, Comcast or similar- do we still make very passionate arguments for a single source of anything we buy being better for us consumers? Almost certainly not... because one seller is always very bad for consumers.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
k1121j Avatar
33 months ago

This would be killer. The iOS and Mac App Stores are absolute nightmares trying to find software and games on them. What I would give to be able to buy mobile apps and games from Steam or other places.
I’ll agree with that they are a mess with searching / discovering poor filters. You pretty much only get to see what Apple wants (meaning their select catagories and filters) you to see otherwise you have to pretty much search by name to discover
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)