Microsoft is not bringing Android app support to Xbox consoles

Recently Microsoft announced that Android app support would not be available on Windows 11 at launch, although the company is gearing up to test the feature, having put the Android subsystem on the Microsoft Store. Curiously, the listing also noted support for Xbox, sparking rumours that consoles will be getting support for Android apps too. 

While this seemed like a promising rumour at the time, Xbox consoles won't be running Android games any time soon. Speaking with Windows Central, a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed that there are “no plans” to bring Android app support to Xbox.

While Google has made efforts to bring Android apps to larger displays, like tablets and TVs, many Android apps are not optimised for these displays. Beyond that, there is also the question of whether or not Xbox players would even want access to mobile games on their consoles. Currently, Microsoft is doubling down on core games to grow Xbox Game Pass, a strategy that leaves little room for Android apps to succeed on a console.

There are some other complications too, such as the idea of separate stores on an Xbox console, and then there is the revenue split issue, with companies like Google and Apple coming under fire for their 30 percent cut of sales. Microsoft won't want that same attention being drawn to console platforms, which take the same cut of software sales.

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KitGuru Says: While this was an interesting rumour, Microsoft was quick to shoot it down and there are plenty of valid reasons for why this wouldn't work. With that said, do you think mobile games could succeed if made playable on a console?

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