Xbox will sell games directly in the Android app next month


Microsoft is planning to update its Xbox mobile app on Android to allow US users to purchase and then play Xbox games on their mobile devices next month. Following a US court ruling earlier this week that forces Google to stop requiring Google Play Billing for apps in the Play Store on November 1st, Microsoft is ready to take advantage of the changes.
“The court’s ruling to open up Google’s mobile store in the US will allow more choice and flexibility,” says Xbox president Sarah Bond in a post on X. “Our mission is to allow more players to play on more devices so we are thrilled to share that starting in November, players will be able to play and purchase Xbox games directly from the Xbox App on Android.”
Google’s Android app store is an illegal monopoly, and the search giant has been ordered to open up the Play Store to competition for three years. This means no longer forcing developers to use its own Google Play Billing after a jury found that Google had illegally tied its payment system to its app store. Google will also have to distribute rival third-party app stores within Google Play.
Xbox store purchase support directly in the mobile Android app will allow Microsoft to sell Xbox games freely on Android devices, and integrated Xbox Cloud Gaming features mean people will be able to immediately stream games to their handsets after purchasing them.
It’s not immediately clear why Microsoft can’t already provide Xbox game purchases inside its Android mobile app, though. You can buy games from Steam or the PlayStation Store on mobile devices, so Microsoft has long been the exception here. I asked Microsoft for more details on the store changes, but the company says Bond’s statement is all it has to share right now.
Separately, Microsoft is also working on a browser-based Xbox mobile store that it was originally planning to launch in July. The store will eventually focus on first-party mobile games from Microsoft’s various studios, but initially it will feature deals and in-game items. Microsoft said in August that testing had begun on the web-based mobile store and “work is progressing well and we will have more to share in the future.”
Update, October 11th: Article updated to note Microsoft isn’t sharing any more details on its Xbox mobile changes on Android.
Microsoft is planning to update its Xbox mobile app on Android to allow US users to purchase and then play Xbox games on their mobile devices next month. Following a US court ruling earlier this week that forces Google to stop requiring Google Play Billing for apps in the Play…
Recent Posts
- Max Promo Code: 50% Off | February 2025
- Adidas Promo Codes & Deals: 30% Off
- Volvo’s ES90 sedan will be built with a Nvidia supercomputer
- With the Humane AI Pin now dead, what does the Rabbit R1 need to do to survive?
- One of the best AI video generators is now on the iPhone – here’s what you need to know about Pika’s new app
Archives
- February 2025
- January 2025
- December 2024
- November 2024
- October 2024
- September 2024
- August 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- September 2018
- October 2017
- December 2011
- August 2010