Xbox will start selling games directly in its Android app next month.

Microsoft is preparing to update its Xbox app on Android, allowing users in the United States to purchase and play Xbox titles on their mobile devices starting next month. This decision follows a recent court ruling that requires Google to suspend its mandate for using Google Play Billing for apps in the Play Store effective November 1st. Sarah Bond, President of Xbox, commented on the ruling in a post, stating that this will provide more options and flexibility for users. "Our mission is to enable more players to access more devices; we are excited to announce that starting in November, they will be able to buy and play Xbox games directly from the app on Android."

The court ruling also stipulates that Google must open its mobile store in the U.S. to competition for three years, removing the requirement for developers to use its own billing system. Additionally, Google will have to allow the distribution of third-party app stores within Google Play.

With this update, support for in-app game purchases will enable Microsoft to market its games unrestrictedly on Android devices. The inclusion of Xbox Cloud Gaming will allow users to stream games immediately after purchasing them. However, it remains unclear why Microsoft had not been able to implement in-app game purchases previously. Other platforms like Steam and PlayStation Store allow such procedures, making Microsoft an exception.

On the other hand, the company is also working on a browser-based mobile store that was initially slated for launch in July. While it will initially focus on self-developed mobile games, the store will feature offers and in-game items. In August, Microsoft announced that testing for this web store had begun and that progress was positive, promising more information in the future.