Microsoft is finally opening up its own app store in Windows and is inviting third-party app stores to be added to the Microsoft Windows Store. This is a huge change that will see both Amazon and Epic Games Store discoverable in the Microsoft Window Store in the coming months.
“Just like any other app, third-party storefront apps will have a product detail page — which can be found via search or by browsing — so that users can easily find and install it with the same confidence as any other app in the Microsoft Store on Windows,” explains Giorgio Sardo, general manager of the Microsoft Store. “Today, we are sharing that Amazon and Epic Games will bring their storefront apps to the Microsoft Store over the next few months, and we look forward to welcoming other stores as well in the future.”
The news comes months after Microsoft announced some major changes to the Microsoft Store during the launch of Windows 11. Not only is the store being overhauled for Windows 11 and eventually Windows 10, but Microsoft will also let developers keep 100 percent of the revenue from apps if they use alternative payment platforms. The only exception is that this doesn’t apply to games.
While Gaming companies like Steam are not on the list just yet, it could still arrive in the future. Microsoft’s commitment to being an “open Store for an open platform” will now allow for any third-party storefront apps to be listed in the Microsoft Store on Windows. That doesn’t mean separate apps and games from rival stores will be discoverable and installable, but the storefront apps will be listed in search results.
The only difference here is with Microsoft’s partnership with Amazon. Microsoft is bringing Android apps to Windows 11, and that includes the ability to discover and search the Amazon Appstore directly from within the Microsoft Store. A preview of this integration will be available for Windows Insiders soon.
