Xbox has seen its fair share of delays this year, but one in particular is flying under the radar.
While fans wait for the release of Obsidian Entertainment’s Avowed, another major project quietly slipped past its initial launch date without much noise. We’re talking about the Xbox Mobile Store, which was supposed to debut in July but is still nowhere to be found.
Where Is the Xbox Mobile Store?
Earlier this year, president Sarah Bond confidently announced that a new mobile store under Microsoft’s gaming brand would launch in July.
However, as we step into August, there’s still no sign of this mobile marketplace. Microsoft has remained tight-lipped about the delay, making it difficult to understand why exactly it hasn’t launched yet.
Recently, a website for the Mobile Store website popped up. It currently displays a “Coming Soon” with a short message about the site not being accessible yet.
Rumors of a Mobile Store have been swirling for some time, with Microsoft finally confirming the plans in May. Initially, the store was going to launch as a web page, allowing users to install games directly from the web without an app store.
The plan focused on first-party titles and with a possibility of expanding to include an official app store application for Android and iOS.
At the Bloomberg Technology Summit earlier this year (as reported by The Verge), Sarah Bond detailed Microsoft’s strategy to circumvent Apple’s strict App Store rules:
We’re going to start by bringing our own first-party portfolio to [the Xbox mobile store], so you’re going to see games like Candy Crush and Minecraft show up in that experience.
By going about the plan in this way, Microsoft could make an ecosystem that’s accessible across different devices without restrictions from different platforms (like the App Store or Google Play Store) or countries.
Microsoft Needs a Win, but Avowed Is Also Delayed
Meanwhile, the delay of Obsidian’s Avowed has also been making headlines. The game was initially set for an autumn 2024 release, but it’s reportedly being pushed back to early 2025.
According to Tom Warren of The Verge, it’s not development issues causing the delay, but rather a strategic move to avoid a crowded release period for the Xbox Game Pass.
The game had a leaked release date of November 12, but it was never officially confirmed by Obsidian or Microsoft.
Despite the delay, Avowed is still anticipated to be a major release for the gaming brand, available on Game Pass from day one.
People have been looking forward to it as a sort of spiritual successor to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim due to its fantasy elements, gameplay, and first-person camera.
Considering how popular the Elder Scrolls franchise is and how long people have gone without another entry, it’s no wonder why there are so many eyes and expectations for Obsidian’s game.
How are you expecting the Mobile Store to turn out? Let us know in the comments below!
