In October, Xbox President Sarah Bond promised that by the end of November, users would be able to “purchase and launch Xbox games directly from the Xbox app for Android.” However, as December approaches, this feature remains unavailable. According to Bond, the delay stems from Google’s actions, not Microsoft’s.
The feature rollout hinges on a court ruling that would compel Google to make significant changes to its Play Store policies. This includes opening the platform to competitors and no longer mandating the use of Google Play Billing for app developers. On October 18, Judge James Donato granted Google a stay, allowing the company to appeal his earlier ruling that deemed the Play Store an illegal monopoly.
“Due to the temporary administrative stay recently granted by the courts, we are currently unable to launch these features as planned. Our team has developed a set of features and is ready to release as soon as the court makes a final decision,” Bond explained.
Google’s Perspective and Microsoft’s Plans
Google refutes Microsoft’s claims, pointing out that it has not prevented Xbox games from being launched on Android. “Microsoft has always had the ability to offer its Android users the ability to purchase and launch Xbox games directly from its app — they just chose not to. The court’s decision and its hasty implementation threaten Google Play’s ability to provide a safe and secure experience. Microsoft, like Epic [Games], is ignoring these real security concerns. We remain focused on supporting an ecosystem that works for everyone, not just the two largest gaming companies,” said Google spokesman Dan Jackson to The Verge.
Meanwhile, Microsoft has been working on a mobile game store for years. It has suggested releasing the store as a standalone app or through a browser-based platform. Despite promising a browser version “soon” back in August, progress has been slow, notes NIX Solutions.
Although uncertainties remain, we’ll keep you updated as the situation develops and more integrations become available.