Microsoft plans to offer games through its Xbox App on Android

Update, October 14 2024: Xbox has provided clarification to GamesIndustry.biz regarding Sarah Bond's earlier declaration. She was referring specifically to full Xbox console games, not mobile ones. These purchased games will be accessible through the Xbox App using Xbox Cloud Gaming.

The changes have been incorporated into the original report below.

Original story, October 11 2024: Microsoft is extending its mobile gaming capabilities by planning to introduce game sales within its Xbox App on Android devices by the end of this year.

Information about this update was shared by Xbox president Sarah Bond in a social media update, indicating that users will have the option to buy and play games directly from the application. Although specific titles were not disclosed, it was mentioned that game sales would commence "in November."

This development is separate from Microsoft's initiative to establish its own mobile app store. Initially slated for a summer debut, the store would feature first-party games like Candy Crush and Minecraft, as reported earlier.

The anticipated mobile store from Microsoft may differ from the Xbox app, possibly offering a wider range of content. Microsoft Gaming's head, Phil Spencer, noted last December that the store was being built with undisclosed collaborators.

Bond associated the launch of game sales on the Xbox App with a recent US judicial decision that mandated Google Play to accommodate competing app stores. Experts consulted suggested that such changes are expected to have a limited impact on the broader mobile gaming landscape.