Microsoft tried to enter the mobile phone market with Windows Phone, an operating system that could have become an alternative to iOS and Android if Satya Nadella, current CEO of Microsoft, had not canceled the project when Steve Ballmer passed the baton to him, a move he deeply regretted, as he stated in an interview a few weeks ago.
When Microsoft decided to abandon Windows Phone, it changed strategy to offer a complete ecosystem of applications on mobile operating systems from Apple and Google. Today, we can access all Microsoft services from iOS and Android in a simple way thanks to all the available applications, however, it seems that it is not the only movement that the company founded by Bill Gates has planned.
For a few hours now, users using preview versions of Windows 11 have seen how the Microsoft Store application has been updated to add a new section called Arcade, which is located right after Games. In this new section you will not find video games from the Microsoft ecosystem through Xbox, but instead they are simple and addictive games, the typical mobile games designed to play a few quick games when we are on the subway, waiting for the bus, a date and else.
New Arcade tab in the Microsoft Store
This new section of the Microsoft Store is available in version 22311.1401.0.0 and later and at the moment, it is only available in the United States in the preliminary version of Windows 11. When you click on this section, the typical cover of the video games for mobile phones and most, if not all, are available for download for free.
In addition, this new version of the Microsoft Store also allows us to select the drive where we want to install the game, one of the most anticipated functions of this application and which makes much more sense for the Games section since these can occupy several dozen GBs and leaving us without space on the main drive.
After the trial between Epic and Apple, in which the Fortnite developer accused Apple of monopoly, the judge in charge of the case agreed with Apple on all points except one and perhaps the most important: Apple had to allow that other app stores existed on iOS devices. This will not only allow Epic to have its own store and Fortnite to return to iOS and macOS, but it also opens the door for other major players like Amazon and Microsoft to follow the same path, expanding the number of options available and without the need to tie ourselves to this ecosystem. buying apps and games.
It is possible that Microsoft’s intention is to pave the way to launch an application for iOS and Android in the form of a game store so that users can install with the additional advantage of being able to continue progress from a Windows PC, just like Apple allows between iOS and macOS. The launch of alternative stores to the App Store is planned for 2024.
