Microsoft has long been working on an Xbox mobile storefront for Android and iOS platforms. The Xbox store app would allow users to bypass Google's Play Store and Apple's App Store and directly buy and launch games off Microsoft's own application.
Despite the company's plans to launch an Xbox app on Android in November, the Xbox parent has been unable to do so owing to a stay on the October court order that directed Google to open up its Play Store and allow competition.
In a thread on X rival Bluesky Thursday, Xbox president Sarah Bond said Microsoft was unable to roll out features that would allow Android users to buy and play games directly from the Xbox app due to a court's stay on the Play Store overhaul order. “At Xbox, we want to offer players more choice on how and where they play, including being able to play and buy games directly from the Xbox app,” Bond said in her post on the platform. “I recently shared our ambition to unlock these features first with the Google Play Store on Android devices in the U.S.
while other app stores adapt to meet consumer demand. “Due to a temporary administrative stay recently granted by the courts, we are currently unable to launch these features as planned.
Our team has the functionality built and ready to go live as soon as the court makes a final decision.” 3/4: Due to a temporary administrative stay recently granted by the courts, we are currently unable to launch these features as planned.