The launch of the Xbox Store for Android, or in other words, the ability to buy games and allow them to run directly in a dedicated app without having to go through the official Google Play store, has been put on hold. Microsoft and Google talk about different reasons. And they have reasons for how much is at stake.

You already know that the antitrust lawsuit filed against Google by Epic Games and the subsequent decisions that forced Google to open up its app store to its competitors and give Android users more options, Microsoft used it to announce that users they could play and buy Xbox games directly from the Xbox app on Android. A change in the rules for the operation of digital mobile application stores, which also includes Apple’s multimillion-dollar App Store.

Xbox Store for Android

Microsoft’s new ability to sell Xbox games for Android was supposed to be without being obliged paying Google part of the revenue from in-app purchases, as is usually done in the Play Store, will be implemented this month. However, Xbox President Sarah Bond announced on Bluesky that this will not be the case:

“Due to a temporary administrative stay recently granted by the courts, we are unable to launch these features as planned at this time.”explains the executive in the sense that Google, as announced, would file an appeal asking the courts to suspend the ordered changes.

However, Google has a different take on the matter, and speaking to The Verge, Google spokesperson Dan Jackson took the opportunity to criticize Xbox and Epic Games’ third-party stores. “for compromising the security of Google Play”:

“Microsoft has always been able to offer its Android users the ability to play and purchase Xbox games directly from its app, but simply chose not to. The order of the court and the rush to enforce it compromise Google Play’s ability to provide a secure environment. Microsoft, like Epic, ignores these very real security concerns. “We remain focused on fostering an ecosystem that works for everyone, not just the two biggest gaming companies.”.

Google has not moved forward on this matter other than adjournment unless a future court appeal says otherwise. And it doesn’t look like American justice will go there once the United States Department of Justice requests that Google be broken up, Chrome be sold, and restrictions on Android which are on their way to expanding the “playing field” of the app store to third parties.