Microsoft has almost turned its exclusives into iOS apps – Report

[ad_1]

Last year, Microsoft made a big deal about how Apple’s insistence that each of its games had to be an individual app was behind why its streaming service, Xbox Cloud Gaming, appeared on. iOS. It hasn’t changed since then, but it looks like Microsoft was actually ready to concede behind the scenes.

In the new emails obtained by The Verge as part of the Epic vs. Apple, it was revealed that there has been a lot of discussion between Microsoft and Apple about bringing Xbox games to the App Store. Microsoft apparently went so far as to offer to make each game available on its own if it could have a central app to house all of the cloud gaming technology, a proposal Apple ultimately denied.

Dimensions: 640 × 360 480 × 270

Do you want us to remember this setting for all your devices?

Sign up or Sign in now!

Please use an HTML5 video compatible browser to watch the videos.

This video has an invalid file format.

We’re sorry, but you can’t access this content!

Enter your date of birth to view this video

JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031Year20212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900

By clicking ‘submit’, you agree to GameSpot’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

log into

Now playing: Halo Story

Even more curiously, Microsoft was willing to sweeten the deal with Apple by reportedly developing Xbox AAA exclusives for iOS, which would then be sold exclusively on the App Store. “This would be an incredibly exciting opportunity for iOS users to access these exclusive AAA titles in addition to Game Pass games,” wrote Lori Wright, head of business development at Xbox.

Microsoft, however, did not appear to be giving in on the in-app purchases issue, which would give Apple a 30% cut on each of its App Store sales. Microsoft wanted a different deal exclusively for them (which isn’t out of the ordinary for Apple), but the company refused to give up. The Verge notes that this wasn’t breaking the deal, but that it definitely helped.

“The reasons for the rejection were not related to in-app purchase features; we currently provide Xbox Cloud Gaming via a single Xbox Game Pass app in the Google Play Store with no IAP enabled, for example, and would do the same via the App Store if permitted. “says Kareem Choudhry, CVP of Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming.

Eventually, Apple announced its new App Store guidelines in September 2020, which Microsoft immediately objected to as it prevented it from putting any streaming service for games on the App Store. Instead, Microsoft released support for Xbox Cloud Gaming via the browser, bypassing the App Store but making the process a little more clunky for users. There is no indication that either party will change their approach anytime soon.

[ad_2]