Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer stated in an interview with The Verge that there is no current plan to introduce an Xbox Cloud Gaming app to iOS because there is no monetization opportunity.
When asked if Apple’s recent app ecosystem reforms in the European Union make “space” for Xbox Cloud Gaming on iOS, Spencer stated that monetization was an issue and that the Digital Markets Act, which requires Apple’s modifications, does not “go far enough to open up competition.”
The Digital Markets Act requires Apple to allow for alternative app marketplaces and payment methods in the European Union. Still, Apple requires developers who choose an alternative app marketplace to agree to new business terms that include a Core Development Fee of 0.50 euros per user.
Companies such as Spotify and Epic Games have challenged Apple’s execution of the DMA rules. Spotify CEO Daniel Ek described Apple’s proposal as a “complete and total farce,” Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney called Apple’s implementation a “devious new instance of malevolent compliance.”
Along with the DMA’s modifications made in the European Union, Apple altered its App Store policies regarding cloud gaming apps. According to Spencer, Microsoft intends to continue working with regulators to “provide space for other stores.”