Microsoft says it’s built an Xbox game store on Android but can’t launch it

A few weeks ago, Microsoft exec Sarah Bond said that in November, “players will be able to play and purchase Xbox games directly from the Xbox App on Android.” It’s almost December and the feature still isn’t live, but Bond says it’s not Microsoft’s fault.

The problem is that Microsoft would only be able to do it once a court order takes effect that forces sweeping changes for Google’s Play Store on Android, like opening it up to competition and ending the requirement for apps to use Google Play Billing.

On October 18th, Judge James Donato granted Google’s request for a stay while it appeals his ruling that the Android app store is an illegal monopoly, which could leave things hanging in the balance for quite a while. Bond acknowledged that reality in a thread on Bluesky today, writing, “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.”

It’s a frustrating situation for anyone hoping to see more options available on their Android-powered devices that don’t require rooting or other workarounds, and Microsoft has been planning its mobile app store strategy for years.