Microsoft Gaming Chief Phil Spencer has confirmed that the company is holding talks with its partners for an Xbox mobile store, said a report from Bloomberg. He made the comment during a talk he had at the CCXP comics and entertainment convention in Brazil on Thursday.

The mobile store would present itself against both Apple and Google, and possibly come sooner rather than later, as Spencer claimed he does not think that the launch is "multiple years away." Following on from previous reports stating the launch may happen within next year.

It's an important part of our strategy and something we are actively working on today not only alone, but talking to other partners who'd also like to see more choice for how they can monetize on the phone," Spencer said during the interview, as noted by Bloomberg. "I don't think this is multiple years away, I think this is sooner than that."

Although the plans on an Xbox mobile store from Microsoft had been public for quite some time now, the new comments from Spencer come at the heels of official ownership of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft. It is also important to note that recent court documents have shown that Activision Blizzard had plans to launch its own app store on Android.

Microsoft has previously reported in filings that one of the key motivations to acquire Activision Blizzard was to help build out its presence in mobile gaming, as Activision Blizzard is responsible for a plethora of hits for mobile devices, including Candy Crush and Call of Duty Mobile. For a story published in October 2022, Microsoft filings revealed that it would be creating a new "Xbox Mobile Platform" including mobile games by Activision and King.

Microsoft's deal with Activision Blizzard had closed in October nearly two years since it was announced, which must have forced the company to delay its planned launch of the mobile store.

We've talked about choice, and today on your mobile phones, you don't have choice," Spencer said in an interview. "To make sure that Xbox is not only relevant today but for the next 10, 20 years, we're going to have to be strong across many screens."

The company's plans to enter mobile stores would come at a tricky time for the company, given the on-going and notorious battle between Epic Games and Apple. While Apple won its legal battle against Epic in April, the game developer asked the Supreme Court to weigh in on the matter in September, asserting whether Apple's business with software violates federal antitrust laws.

On the other hand, Apple is also fighting a legal case against the European Commission's Digital Markets Act, which could potentially force the company to open its app store ecosystem.