Microsoft Windows Stores coming to 500 Best Buys in the U.S.

Microsoft this week announced a partnership to bring Windows Stores to Best Buy and Future Shops to the U.S. and Canada.

The 1,500 to 2,20-square-foot stores are designed to help the company sell more Windows computers, phones, software and the Xbox 360 and Xbox One.

"Well, unlike a lot of store-within-a-store concepts, this will actually be a department-level takeover within Best Buy stores," Chris Capossela, Chief Marketing Officer at Microsoft, told the official Windows Blog. "And they will be massive in size, up to 2,200 square feet in some locations. The other unique thing about the Windows Store is the people. There will be an additional 1,200 staff on hand to provide a great customer experience, whether it's choosing the right PC or showing consumers how to stream Xbox music through their Surface. Finally, the online experience should be fantastic. We'll have a full online Windows Store experience that will mirror the in-store look-and-feel and offer a full range of Microsoft products, even those from other places in the Best Buy store."

These new Windows Stores won't supplant the 68 Microsoft Stores the company is running in North America, Capossela said.

The announcement came on the last day of an E3 that saw the price and other details announced for Microsoft's Xbox One. Microsoft's E3 showing brought with it mixed reaction as some gamers showed their displeasure over the Xbox One's take on used games and, at least initial, lack of support for game rentals.