Xbox games will soon be available to purchase in the Xbox App on Android in the US

Xbox owners in the US will be able to play and purchase games directly from the Xbox App on Android from November.

The change follows the ongoing legal battle between Epic Games and Google. Earlier this week a US judge ruled Google runs a monopoly via its smartphone app store, meaning third-party storefront apps must now be made available from the Google Play Store.

This has opened the door for Microsoft, meaning players can now purchase Xbox games on Android devices and then immediately stream them through Xbox Cloud Gaming.

“The court’s ruling to open up Google’s mobile store in the US will allow more choice and flexibility,” said Xbox president Sarah Bond on social media. “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.”

In response to the verdict, Google said it would push back against the ruling and request a pause on its required changes “to maintain a consistent and safe experience for users and developers”.

Further, Google has argued it exists in competition with Apple, so does not have a monopoly. “The Epic verdict missed the obvious,” Google spokesperson Lee-Anne Mulholland wrote. “Apple and Android clearly compete.”

Separately, Microsoft is also working on its own web-based Xbox mobile game store, which was set to launch in the summer. In August the company stated testing had begun, but it’s unclear when it will properly launch – or if this Google ruling has had an impact on its intended release.