Activision Blizzard's Abandoned Plan for a Mobile Gaming Store

Prior to its acquisition by Microsoft, Activision Blizzard had plans to establish its own mobile gaming store, as revealed by court documents from the Epic Games vs Google antitrust trial. Internal emails and documents from 2019, reported by The Verge, show that the company explored two strategies to strengthen its position in the mobile gaming market. One plan involved creating a mobile storefront, either independently or in collaboration with Epic Games or Supercell, dubbed the 'Steam of Mobile'. This platform would have operated on a single payment system with a transaction fee of 10-12%, significantly lower than the 30% fee imposed by other stores like Google. The store was initially intended for Android, followed by iOS, with a pilot version featuring games from King, such as Candy Crush, to be launched in the US. However, according to Activision Blizzard's CFO, Armin Zerza, the idea was ultimately deemed not financially viable and abandoned. Instead, the company opted for a $100 million deal with Google, which Epic Games alleges was a strategic move to prevent a competing mobile store on Android. With its acquisition by Microsoft, Activision Blizzard is now part of the tech giant's plans to launch a mobile storefront, with Xbox boss Phil Spencer confirming the company's collaboration with unknown partners to bring this plan to fruition.