Microsoft's plans to launch an Xbox mobile store on Android have been thwarted by Google, despite Microsoft confirming the store is ready.
Xbox president Sarah Bond explained the situation on Blue Sky:
At Xbox, we want to offer players more choice...Due to a temporary administrative stay recently granted by the courts, we are currently unable to launch these features as planned...We are eager to launch and give more choice and flexibility to players.
Google, facing legal challenges to its control over Android, issued a statement to The Verge:
Microsoft has always been able to offer their Android users the ability to play and purchase Xbox games directly from their app – they’ve simply chosen not to...We remain focused on supporting an ecosystem that works for everyone, not just two of the largest game companies.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney, who has been fighting against app store restrictions, criticized Google's statement:
Google’s statement is deceitful. Shame on them...They well know that the 30% cut they demand is far more than all of the profit from game streaming.
This ongoing dispute highlights the tension surrounding app store control and the challenges faced by companies like Microsoft and Epic Games in bringing their game stores to mobile platforms.
