Hot on the heels of Microsoft reducing its cut for the Microsoft Store on PC, it appears the company could be making a similar move on Xbox.
According to a new report from The Verge, leaked documents have revealed that Microsoft plans to — or was planning to, at one point — drop the percentage of revenue it takes from digital Xbox game sales from 30% down to 12%. This split would bring the Xbox Store in line with the Microsoft Store on PC, and would also put Microsoft on even ground with the Epic Games Store, which has taken an 88/12 split since its launch in 2019.
This news comes as digital shops of all sorts are now under the microscope. The Epic Games vs. Apple trial officially kicks off on Monday, May 3. Epic alleges that Apple holds monopoly power thanks to its App Store, citing the inability of developers to escape Apple’s 30% commission on sales.
In a statement to The Verge, a Microsoft spokesperson said that Microsoft “[has] no plans to change the revenue share for console games at this time.” But “at this time” could be a lawyerly way to say “not today.” As The Verge notes, Microsoft’s Lori Wright — the company’s vice president of Xbox business development — will serve as a witness in the Apple vs. Epic trial. An announcement about a change to the Xbox revenue split could come before that.
In the eyes of Microsoft, such a move could serve to undercut Apple’s defense of its 30% fee. Microsoft has had its own issues with Apple recently, so it’s safe to say the company isn’t exactly reaching for motivation here.
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