An online PC video game store is only as strong as the developers that publish on it, and how much of a cut the store takes affects where developers go to sell their games. Microsoft knows this and has announced that it's slashing its own cut from sales on the Microsoft Store to help encourage developers to publish on its platform.

Microsoft's Push to Get Back Into the PC Gaming Scene

On the Xbox Wire, Microsoft declared that it's making a "commitment to empower every PC game creator to achieve more." To do this, it's increasing the developer's share of every sale from 70 percent to 88 percent, starting from August 1, 2021.

Microsoft doesn't go into a detailed explanation as to why it's making such a move. Instead, it simply claims that the change will help encourage developers to publish games on the Microsoft Store.

However, this move is very likely to help keep the Microsoft Store as competitive as possible. After all, that 88 percent developer share likely didn't come out of nowhere; it's the exact same share that Epic gives developers on its platform, the Epic Games Store.

Related: Steam vs. Epic Games Store: Which Is Best?

So, how else can Microsoft take the fight to the big leagues? Unlike other platforms, Microsoft has a second userbase that plays games on their Xbox consoles. If the Redmond company brings the two together, it can allow gamers to play the same game whether they're on a console or a PC.

And that's just what Microsoft plans to do. Starting with the release of Halo Infinite, Xbox and PC players will find themselves meeting one another on the battlefield:

That’s why we’re excited to announce Halo Infinite will support multiplayer cross-play and cross-progression when it releases later this year. That means if you’re playing on PC, you can play with your friends on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. It also means that your multiplayer customization and progress will follow you across all platforms.

As such, expect the software giant to not only push its Microsoft Store as a serious competitor to other storefronts but for Xbox and PC players to mingle a lot more in online games in the future.

A Better Time Gaming, for Players and Developers

Regardless of if you're a developer or a player, you'll want to keep tabs on the Microsoft Store in the future. Players will enjoy new cross-play compatibility with Xbox consoles, while developers will be making a better living for themselves on the platform.

However, this isn't the only change Microsoft is making to its storefronts to encourage people back. Soon, developers and users will have access to a brand new app store currently in the works.

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