Windows Store To Add Third-Party Storefronts, Including Amazon And Epic Games Store

Microsoft is allowing third-party store apps, like the Epic Games Store, to be available on the Windows Store. This change will allow other storefronts to have their apps available to find and download directly from the Microsoft Store instead of needing to be downloaded from the web.

As reported by The Verge, Microsoft is allowing other storefronts to have discoverable app pages in the Windows Store within the next few months. This is part of a planned overhaul for the Microsoft Store on Windows 11 and later on Windows 10.

"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," Microsoft Store general manager Giorgio Sardo said.

This is one of the multiple changes coming to the Microsoft Store with the Windows 11 update, which begins rolling out for free for Windows 10 users on October 5. The Microsoft Store is also allowing apps to offer alternative payment methods, which means that the Epic Games Store can be on the store without giving Microsoft a cut of its revenue. This change does not allow specific games or apps from these third-party storefronts to be searchable on the Windows Store, except for Amazon. When Android apps eventually come to Windows 11, the apps available through the Amazon Appstore will appear in search results on the Microsoft Store.

Windows 11 will also bring new gaming features to the platform including Auto-HDR and direct storage.