Inception! Don’t you just love it when everyone plays nicely? It was not too long ago that Microsoft so very cordially invited rival gaming platforms to its newly refreshed Microsoft Store.
Rival gaming platforms, as in the Epic Game Store and Steam.
While the latter is yet to answer, the former has answered the call.
As Redmond details in a blog post, both the Epic Game Store and the Amazon AppStore are coming to the Microsoft Store as third-party options. This is part of a change in policy by the software titan to give a place in its repository to third-party app stores.
The post touts support from developers after this change in direction, and highlights how hundreds of developers have signed up in preview to bring their programs to the Microsoft Store.
You know, desktop software like Discord, TeamViewer, LibreOffice, Zoom, VLC, Wikipedia, and Reddit.
Getting back to the Epic Game Store, the gaming platform will be making its way to the Microsoft Store in the coming months, and will be joined by the Amazon AppStore that has already been confirmed to become available.
Though not in time for the launch of Windows 11.
Microsoft does confirm that that it will arrive in preview soon, and with it will open the floodgates for Android apps on its operating platform.
Additionally, Opera and Yandex Browser have also been announced as two alternate choices that will be available to those who want to use different web browsers on Windows 11.
The company says these are all results of its commitment to making its storefront open to all kinds of apps. Moves like these will hopefully encourage more developers to make their wares available on the Microsoft Store and bring them to a whole new audience.
Particularly as Redmond does not deduct any revenue if a developer chooses to utilize a third-party commerce system instead of the standard one that Microsoft offers.
Steam next, then?
