Microsoft Is One Step Closer to Opening an Actual Xbox App Store on Android

After Epic Games, Xbox plans to beryllium the adjacent large app seller to interruption escaped of Google’s shackles. Microsoft’s gaming limb announced on Twitter that it would let Android users to acquisition games for their Xbox relationship done the Android Xbox app. Sure, you’re inactive incapable to play your favourite Game Pass games connected mobile unless you’re streaming, but it could beryllium to beryllium Microsoft’s archetypal measurement into opening its ain existent app store connected Android phones.

In a Twitter post, Xbox President Sarah Bond said that players tin acquisition Xbox games done the Xbox App starting sometime successful November. She explicitly referred to California national Judge James Donato’s caller ruling successful the Epic v. Google ineligible conflict that “open[ed] up Google’s mobile store successful the U.S.”

“Our ngo is to let much players to play connected much devices,” she said, adding, “Starting successful November, Players volition beryllium capable to play and acquisition Xbox Games” from the Xbox app. That whitethorn beryllium a vague committedness for now, but we cognize that the company’s agelong had dreams of operating its ain mobile app store. Microsoft’s $69 cardinal acquisition of Activision Blizzard besides gave Xbox entree to King Digital Entertainment titles, location of the still-popular Candy Crush Saga.

The court's ruling to unfastened up Google´s mobile store successful the US volition let much prime and flexibility. Our ngo is to let much players to play connected much devices truthful we are thrilled to stock that starting successful November, players volition beryllium capable to play and acquisition Xbox games directly…

— BondSarahBond (@BondSarah_Bond) October 10, 2024

According to a connection to The Verge successful August, the institution was moving connected a browser-based mobile store that was “progressing” arsenic precocious arsenic August. It’s unclear if Microsoft plans to scrap the store successful speech for its revitalized app.

Currently, you person to spell done the company’s web store leafage to acquisition games oregon a Game Pass subscription. The Xbox app connected Android doesn’t fto you download oregon play immoderate games you ain done Game Pass oregon otherwise, but you tin inactive entree Game Pass Ultimate’s crippled streaming. Currently, chap crippled shops, specified arsenic Steam and PlayStation Store, let users to bargain games straight done their mobile apps, and neither app requires users to spell done Play Store billing.

On Monday, Donato’s final ruling successful Epic v. Google that the Mountain View tech elephantine could nary longer unit third-party app stores to usage Google Play Billing. Google has already appealed the decision, and it is asking the tribunal for a intermission connected the requested changes to Android’s ecosystem portion that entreaty is ongoing. Otherwise, Google has until Nov. 3 to marque the indispensable changes to Play Store and Android.

Late past year, a assemblage already declared Google’s Play Store an amerciable monopoly, mounting up the dominos for what could go the biggest shakeup successful the hunt giant’s bundle empire. The tribunal restricted Google from putting up immoderate roadblocks oregon throwing wealth astatine competing third-party app stores for the adjacent 3 years.

With portion of Google’s concern officially declared a monopoly, the feds are already imagining ways to interruption the Search elephantine into smaller, much manageable pieces. The Department of Justice proposed a plan connected Tuesday that would extremity Google Search dominance connected Android, fundamentally splitting disconnected Google’s Chrome and Android businesses. In response, Google said the connection would wounded idiosyncratic privateness if they’re forced to stock hunt queries, clicks, and results with competitors. That’s ignoring however it already concerns Google, which has each that information successful the archetypal place.