Microsoft is allowing third-party storefront apps onto its Windows store

Microsoft says it will soon allow third-party storefront apps, including those of Amazon and Epic Games, to be discoverable via is Windows store.

"Just like any other app," Microsoft writes in a post announcing the new measures, "third-party storefront apps will have a product detail page that 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."

Amazon and Epic Games will be the first to benefit from the move - which will initially be implemented in the new-look Microsoft Store for Window 11 before making its way to Windows 10 - with Microsoft adding, "we look forward to welcoming other stores as well in the future."

Microsoft's decision to open its store to third-party store apps follows a similar move by Epic Games earlier this year, when it announced that itch.io would be accessible via its own store front - an announcement made, almost certainly not coincidentally, around the same time it was arguing an antitrust case against Apple in court.

With Epic preparing to mount an appeal after it lost all but one of its legal challenges, it's certainly an interesting time for Microsoft - which has previously lent its support to Epic's lawsuit - to publicly implement more open storefront policies. Hopefully we'll see other stores beyond Epic and Amazon take advantage of these new opportunities soon.