- Starting from November 2024, you can buy and play Xbox games directly from the Xbox App on Android.
- Sarah Bond, president of Xbox at Microsoft, attributed this to the Epic Games vs. Google decision.
- This move aligns with Microsoft’s vision of being a ‘gamer first’ platform.
Buying and playing Xbox games directly from the Xbox App on Android will now be possible, starting from November 2024. Sarah Bond, president of Xbox at Microsoft, announced the update on social media, attributing the same to a recent ruling in the long-running Epic Games vs. Google antitrust case.
Updates as of October 15, 2024
According to the latest updates, Xbox clarified to GamesIndustry.biz that Sarah Bond’s announcement specifically pertains to full Xbox console titles rather than mobile games.
This move aligns with Microsoft’s vision of being a ‘gamer first’ platform
With this update, Xbox gamers will no longer be limited to streaming games via Game Pass or managing game downloads from their consoles. Instead, you can directly buy titles through the app without being forced to go via Google Play’s billing system. This aligns with Microsoft’s vision of being a ‘gamer first’ platform.
As mentioned before, it is the result of a landmark ruling in the four-year-long antitrust case between Epic Games and Google. US District Judge James Donato recently issued a permanent injunction forcing Google to allow third-party app stores access to its Play library. This means developers won’t have to go through Google’s billing system or pay high commissions anymore.
The ruling will open the door for players who purchase their games directly with fewer costs, while also not having Google’s intervention. Starting November 1st, Google will have to comply, and it just so happens that Microsoft’s changes to the Xbox App are perfectly timed to align with this.
While it’s still unclear if this new feature will integrate with Microsoft’s upcoming dedicated mobile game store, Xbox Mobile Gaming App Store, this is a positive step in bringing a change.
Even though this move is only applicable to Android devices, there is no doubt that Microsoft is set to offer better choices for gamers via Xbox. With this, they are potentially building a larger mobile platform down the road, fulfilling its aim in the process of flourishing Xbox as a brand.
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