Starting in November, Xbox players will be able to play and purchase games directly from the Xbox app on Android. Sarah Bond, Microsoft’s president of Xbox, made the X announcement and commented, “The court’s decision to open Google’s mobile store in the United States will give us more choice and flexibility.” She’s talking about a recent ruling by U.S. District Judge James Donato in the four-year antitrust case between Google and Epic Games. A judge has issued a permanent injunction forcing Google to grant third-party app stores access to the Play Library and make Android apps available in alternative stores.
A court ruling to open Google’s mobile store in the United States will give it more choice and flexibility. Our mission is to help more players play on more devices. That’s why we’re excited to announce that starting in November, players will be able to play and purchase Xbox games directly…
— BondSarahBond (@BondSarah_Bond) October 10, 2024
As CNBC points out, players can download the game to their Xbox console through an Android app, and Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can also stream the game on their phones. However, you cannot purchase games directly from the app. After the court’s ruling, Google will no longer be able to require developers to use its billing system, nor will it be allowed to prohibit developers from telling people about more affordable payment options. Microsoft will now be able to purchase titles without paying a fee to Google, and this was likely the biggest reason why Xbox didn’t sell games within its Android app.
Epic’s lawsuit against Google has been going on for years. In 2023, a federal jury sided with the plaintiffs and found that Google had illegally monopolized app distribution and in-app purchasing services for Android devices. When Judge Donato handed down his decision, Google told Engadget that the ruling “doesn’t take into account that Android is an open platform and developers always have many choices in how they distribute their apps.” He said he plans to appeal.
