Samsung and Microsoft announced a partnership that will bring an exclusive Xbox Game Pass app to select Galaxy smartphones, enabling in-app purchases of game add-ons and downloadable content (DLC) through Samsung’s app store.
Exclusive Game Pass app for Galaxy phones
The announcement came alongside reveals for new Galaxy Note models and the Galaxy Z Fold 2. Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, said Microsoft will distribute a special Game Pass application via Samsung’s official store for Galaxy devices.
Unlike versions of Microsoft’s apps distributed on other platforms, the Galaxy-exclusive app will include a feature allowing users to buy game expansions and DLC directly through the app.
Why the feature matters
Microsoft’s move appears tied to the revenue-sharing policies of Google and Apple. When apps distributed through Google Play or the App Store make sales, those platforms typically take a cut—often up to 30%—of transactions.
By offering the Game Pass app through Samsung’s store with the ability to sell add-ons, Microsoft likely reached an agreement with Samsung to permit these purchases without the standard commissions applied by other app marketplaces, or with a reduced percentage.
Cloud gaming context and bundled offers
The partnership gains additional significance as Microsoft prepares to expand Xbox Game Pass in the cloud. Cloud gaming lets users play titles streamed from remote servers, so the phone essentially displays a video stream while all game processing occurs elsewhere, enabling console-quality graphics on mobile devices that couldn’t run those games natively.
Samsung and Microsoft also announced a bundle tied to the Galaxy Note 20: the phone will be offered with three months of Game Pass Ultimate and a PowerA MOGA XP5-X Plus controller. The controller includes a phone mount and a 3,000 mAh battery that can charge the handset during play.
