Microsoft is on the verge of launching its own Xbox app store on Android, which will enable users to purchase games directly through the Xbox app without relying on the Google Play Store. Xbox President Sarah Bond has confirmed that Android users will be able to buy Xbox games through the Xbox app starting in November. This decision comes in the wake of a recent court ruling in the Epic Games v. Google case, which ordered Google to allow third-party app stores to operate on Android.
Currently, Android users are required to visit Microsoft’s website to purchase Xbox games, as the Xbox app on Android only supports game streaming through the Game Pass Ultimate service. The introduction of its app store will allow Microsoft to break free from Google’s control and offer a more convenient game-purchasing experience for users.
Microsoft has long harbored ambitions to expand the Xbox Store to mobile platforms, and its recent acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the owner of popular mobile games like Candy Crush Saga, further underscores this goal.
The Epic v. Google ruling has opened the door for third-party app stores to compete directly with the Google Play Store, and Microsoft is among the first major players to capitalize on this opportunity to solidify its position in the mobile gaming market.