Microsoft Store will allow listing of 3rd party stores including Epic Games Store

Back in June, along with the Windows 11 announcement, Microsoft announced the new Microsoft Store experience and major policy changes. Microsoft specifically mentioned that Windows developers can publish any kind of app, regardless of app framework and packaging technology – such as Win32, .NET, UWP, Xamarin, Electron, React Native, Java and even Progressive Web Apps.

Today, Microsoft made some new announcements regarding Microsoft Store, read about them below.

• Microsoft will allow third-party storefront apps to be discoverable in the Microsoft Store on Windows. Just like any other app, third-party storefront apps like Epic Games Store and Amazon App Store will have a product detail page that can be found via search or by browsing in the Microsoft Store on Windows.
• Opera and Yandex Browser now available in Microsoft Store. It is important to note that both these browsers use their own rendering engines.

You can find the summary of policy changes below:

• Update to 10.1.3 requirements for product search terms.
• Update to 10.1.5, removing prohibition on products whose primary functionality is to enable acquisition of digital goods from outside the Store.
• New 10.1.6 policy allowing products that are standalone digital storefronts on PC devices.
• Update to 10.2.1 regarding web browser requirements on console.
• Update to 10.13.4, prohibiting products that enable general browsing of the operating system, file systems or attached physical media file structures
• Update to 10.13.10, added game platform.
• New 11.13, added Third Party Digital Storefronts content policy.

Source: Microsoft