Microsoft will update its Xbox mobile app on Android next month to allow users in the United States to buy and play Xbox games on their mobile devices. Following a US court ruling earlier this week forcing Google to stop requesting Google Play billing for apps in the Play Store starting November 1, Microsoft is poised to take advantage of the change.
“The court’s decision to open Google’s mobile store in the U.S. gives us more choice and flexibility,” Xbox president Sarah Bond said in a post on X. “Our mission is to help more players play on more devices. Starting in November, players will be able to play and purchase Xbox games directly from the Xbox app on Android. I would like to share that.”
Google’s Android app store is an illegal monopoly and the search giant has been ordered to open its Play Store to competition for three years. This means Google will no longer force developers to use its own Google Play Billing after a jury found that the company illegally tied its payment system to its app store. Google needs to distribute its competitors’ app stores too within Google play.
Support for Xbox Store purchases directly in the mobile Android app gives Microsoft the freedom to sell Xbox games on Android devices, and integrated Xbox cloud gaming features allow you to purchase games and instantly get them to your mobile device. You will be able to stream your games.
However, it’s not immediately clear why Microsoft can’t yet offer purchases of Xbox games within its Android mobile app. Microsoft has long been an exception in this space, as mobile devices allow you to purchase games from Steam or the PlayStation Store. I asked Microsoft for more details about the Store changes, but the company said Bond’s statement is the only thing it can share at this time.
Separately, Microsoft is also working on a browser-based Xbox mobile store, which was originally scheduled to launch in July. The store will eventually focus on first-party mobile games from Microsoft’s various studios, but will initially feature sales and in-game items. Microsoft said in August that testing began on the web-based mobile store and that “work is progressing well and we will be able to share more in the future.”
Update for October 11th: Article updated to note that Microsoft has not shared details about changes to Xbox Mobile on Android.
