Following a recent court decision, Microsoft has revealed that Xbox enthusiasts will soon have the ability to buy and play Xbox games directly through the Xbox app on Android devices. A judge's ruling in the Epic v. Google case this week mandates that Google must permit third-party app stores to operate within Google Play. This move, led by Epic's Tim Sweeney, will allow Microsoft to start selling Xbox games directly to consumers from November 1.
The Fortnite developer successfully argued in court that Google made it challenging for any competing store within Google Play to thrive, leading to this ruling. As noted by The Verge, it remains uncertain why Microsoft hadn't already integrated game sales within its existing Android app. Now, with the ability to sell directly to consumers via its own store within the Xbox app, Microsoft likely won't need to pay a fee to Google that it might have otherwise.
Xbox president Sarah Bond confirmed the news, stating, "Our goal is to enable more players to enjoy games on more devices." It is currently unclear which specific games will be available for purchase within the Xbox app. It's also important to note that this change currently only applies to the US, and Google is appealing the verdict.
In addition to selling games within the Xbox app for Android, Microsoft plans to launch its own comprehensive mobile game store in the future. In related Xbox mobile news, Microsoft recently merged the dedicated Xbox Game Pass app into the main Xbox app. Furthermore, there are reports suggesting that Microsoft is contemplating the inclusion of a handheld device as part of the next generation of Xbox consoles.
