Spotify rules the music streaming service with a great interface that you can literally take anywhere with you, and even combine it with gaming on consoles – or, at least the PlayStation 4, where it has an exclusive partnership with a neatly integrated app. On the other hand, Xbox One users are still wondering when, or if, they will get to play For Honor as they listen to their favorite nordic chants.
Won’t Happen Soon, May not Happen at All
Microsoft hasn’t shown any initiative on adding Spotify to the background music options available in their console. This is because the music streaming service hasn’t shown any interest either, since they have an exclusive partnership with Sony and it’s still going strong. Remember this tweet?
Hi! Right now we're focused on our exclusive partnership with PlayStation, we don't have any info regarding other consoles/BE
— SpotifyCares (@SpotifyCares) July 17, 2016
Background music is still available through other apps and services, but users still ask for Spotify. It’s an app they are already subscribed to, and nobody wants to spend a second fee for a service they already have on a different platform. Groove Music Premium might do the trick, but it’s an extra $9.99 a month that stacks with Xbox Live Gold, and the upcoming Xbox Game Pass subscription.
@Xbox @Spotify the Spotify app is needed on Xbox One, is it possible it can happen?
— Majin God Goku (@tqmitch) March 30, 2017
There’s also free alternatives, like Pandora, or the Simple Background Music Player, that allows users to play background music through USB devices. So, the feature is indeed covered and available, but not through the app that most people use. When you have everything set-up, all your playlists organized, and know your way through a platform, switching apps to use it on a single isolated device isn’t worth it.
