In October, Microsoft announced plans to sell Xbox games directly through the Xbox app on Android, circumventing the traditional app store models. But those plans have hit a roadblock after a recent court ruling. Xbox president Sarah Bond confirmed that a “temporary administrative stay” issued by a U.S. judge has delayed the rollout of this feature, which is otherwise ready to launch. “Our team has the functionality built and ready to go live as soon as the court makes a final decision,” Bond stated.
Microsoft’s Plans to Sell Xbox Games Directly on Android Delayed by Court Ruling
This is connected to the Epic v. Google case from some time prior in 2024. In a landmark ruling, a judge has ruled that Google must allow rival third-party app stores on its Play Store ecosystem. Tim Sweeney, the chief executive of Epic Games, said the policies from Google were anti-competitive and had unfairly kept competing stores from operating properly. While the court generally sided with Epic, Google appealed the ruling and got a court-ordered stay from having to enforce it.
It is unclear when the stay will be lifted, leaving Microsoft and other companies in limbo as they wait for the go-ahead to proceed with their plans. Microsoft stands to gain far more from selling games directly through its Xbox app: It will not be subject to Google’s commission fees in this scenario. The firm is working on bigger plans as well, with future plans to create its own mobile game store that won’t necessarily run on traditional Xbox consoles.
It’s all part of Microsoft’s wider approach of positioning Xbox Game Pass as a subscription platform that can play nice with competitors, acting as a reliable revenue stream. Though it faces significant hurdles, including 2,500 layoffs at Xbox, Microsoft is continuing to emphasize growing its subscribers and giving itself enough business model flexibility to ensure it takes advantage of a constantly changing gaming landscape. In the interim, the company and its fans will have to stand by the court’s decision before this new feature can be activated.
FAQs
When will Xbox start selling games directly on Android?
The new feature is ready, but a court ruling has delayed its launch. Microsoft is waiting for a final decision.
What does this delay mean for Microsoft?
Microsoft cannot release the feature until the legal situation is resolved, but it is prepared to go live as soon as the court lifts the stay.
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