A feature Microsoft and Xbox announced was coming to Xbox Cloud Gaming all the way back in 2020, is finally making its debut next month, as Xbox President Sarah Bond hinted gamers would be able to pay and play through the Android Xbox App in a post on X on Thursday.
The court’s ruling to open up Google´s mobile store in the US will allow more choice and flexibility. Our mission is to allow more players to play on more devices so we are thrilled to share that starting in November, players will be able to play and purchase Xbox games directly from the Xbox App on Android.
The ruling Sarah Bond is referencing was handed down to Google on Monday October 7 in regards to the way it tied Google Billing to its Google Play Store and essentially forced every app to have to be downloaded and installed through the Play Store and only allowed use of its proprietary billing system. This ruling paves the way for Microsoft to finally allow you to purchase games on the Android Xbox App (without Google taking a cut.)
Something that you could already do on rival PlayStation’s App or Valve’s Steam App. More importantly, its seemingly the final puzzle piece that’s been missing from Xbox Cloud Gaming. Purchase a game on the Microsoft Store and immediately play it in the Cloud without a PC or Console.
However, similar to how it currently works with Xbox Game Pass titles, developers and publishers can disable this feature from their games if they choose to do so. Requiring you to still have the aforementioned PC or Xbox Console to play it instead. It will be interesting to see where the majority of developers land on enabling Cloud Gaming. Especially now that Xbox Game Pass is accessible through the same app as well.
The Xbox Mantra “No Console Necessary” Further Realized
In truth, Cloud gaming may be Xbox’s most iterated on portion of the entire Game Pass suite. Beginning life as an invite only test and then subsequently introduced to mobile, PC, console, internet browsers, Smart TV apps, portable PC devices, and most recently the Amazon Fire stick. An increased use of Cloud gaming by Xbox gamers could even entice Microsoft to introduce the rumored less expensive Cloud only tier.
Ultimately, the jury is still out on whether this “when everyone plays, we all win” strategy is working. Xbox continues to branch out beyond the box. And with improving tech coming to Xbox Cloud Gaming to accommodate the increase in games available on cloud, the company’s mantra of “no console necessary” is even more of a reality with this announcement. Effectively making mobile, (at least on Android), just as viable a platform to play your games on as PC or Console.
