The statements come not long after Spencer talked about overhauling the Xbox app for Windows 10, which itself is limited. It can't directly handle game updating like Steam can, for instance.

Spencer's promise is, to some extent, a commentary on the Microsoft Store at large. Microsoft has tried to steer Windows users to the store by releasing software exclusively though the channel and even temporarily offering a version of Windows that could only run Store apps, but developers and users haven't flocked to the portal given its restrictions. Why publish a game in the Store that can't do as much as it would elsewhere? This is an acknowledgment that having an official store isn't enough -- it also has to offer capabilities that attract both developers and users.