Microsoft has announced plans to allow users to buy and play Xbox games directly through the Xbox App on Android devices starting in November. This decision follows a pivotal ruling in the U.S. favoring Fortnite creator Epic Games in its legal battle against Google. The court’s decision mandates that Google open its Play Store to third-party app stores for three years. As a result, Google will now be required to feature external app stores on the Play Store and give them full access to its catalog of apps.
For Microsoft, this ruling opens the door to selling Xbox games directly on Android, bypassing Google’s Play Store billing system. This means gamers can purchase and stream Xbox games from within the same app, providing a more seamless gaming experience. In a tweet, Xbox president Sarah Bond shared her excitement on the matter, stating, “The court’s ruling to open up Google’s mobile store in the U.S. will allow more choice and flexibility. 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.”
In a related development, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney announced that the Epic Games Store will be available in the Google Play Store by 2025. He emphasized that this would happen without Google’s “scare screens” and the 30% commission typically taken by the platform, crediting the victory in the legal battle as the reason for the change.
Google, however, plans to appeal the ruling. The company expressed concerns about the impact on consumer privacy and security, arguing that these changes could reduce competition and make it more difficult for developers to promote their apps. Google seeks to pause Epic’s proposed changes while the appeal is underway.
In the meantime, Microsoft is developing its own browser-based Xbox mobile store, aiming to compete with both the Google Play and App Store. Microsoft’s recent $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the parent company of Candy Crush maker King, was partly driven by its desire to expand its mobile gaming offerings before the store’s launch.