Microsoft and GameStop partner in deal involving cloud, Surface, and Xbox

Source: Daniel Rubino/Windows Central

Microsoft and GameStop announced today that the pair have entered into a “multiyear strategic partnership” that will make Microsoft’s cloud tech the backbone of GameStop’s business operations. The partnership also touches on the tech and apps that store associates use, including Surface devices and Microsoft 365 services.

According to a press release issued by both companies, GameStop will now rely on Dynamics 365 to power its “back-end and in-store solutions.” “This will enable store associates the ability to access omni-channel insights about customer preferences and purchasing history, real time information on product availability, subscriptions, pricing, and promotions in order to provide a differentiated and personalized in-store customer experience,” GameStop says.

Here’s a look at the rest of what the deal entails:

• Additionally, associates will be equipped with new Microsoft Surface devices that will transform the in-store experience and help unlock new retail experiences in the future. The mobility of Microsoft Surface will allow associates to move freely within the store footprint, meeting the needs of customers faster and more efficiently. Microsoft Surface devices have already been an important part of the digital modernization strategy for store management.
• As part of its transformation, GameStop plans to roll out Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams to its stores, empowering more than 30,000 store associates with enhanced productivity and collaboration tools. With Teams, store associates will more easily be able to ask questions and share insights with one another, enabling them to provide a better customer experience. Associates will also benefit from enhanced security and identify management capabilities.
• Following decades as an essential provider of the Microsoft Xbox gaming platform and services, GameStop has expanded its Xbox family of product offerings to include Xbox All Access, which provides an Xbox console and 24 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to players with no upfront cost. GameStop and Microsoft will both benefit from the customer acquisition and lifetime revenue value of each gamer brought into the Xbox ecosystem.

The deal is largely another win for Microsoft’s cloud business, which has enjoyed rapid growth with several high-profile partnerships in recent years. Some of the company’s biggest partners include Pepsi, Adobe, and GE.