Following the recent United States District Court ruling in the Epic v. Apple case, developers are now permitted to promote their web shops within their games and directly link users to purchases — gaining more profit by going direct-to-consumer. This shift presents a powerful opportunity for all mobile game developers to increase margins, take full control of their revenue streams, and enable multiple monetization options in-game.With the Buy Button for Mobile Games, mobile game developers can embed direct payment links inside their games, leading to a browser-based checkout powered by Xsolla Web Shop and Xsolla Pay Station. This approach lets you preserve the in-game experience while monetizing through the Web — with minimal integration effort and measurable upside.This guide outlines how to set up your Buy Button in 5 simple steps—and how to launch it in less than 24 hours.
Step 1: Sync your catalog and SKU IDs
All in-game items you want to sell through Buy Button must have a corresponding SKU in the Xsolla Web Shop.You can import content in several ways:
Auto-import from platforms like Google Play, App Store, or PlayFab'
JSON file upload
Manual creation through the UI
Real-time sync using Xsolla’s Product Catalog API
Step 2: Set up user authentication
Implement user authentication via links from the game client using a Deep Link to authenticate players automatically as they click the button.
Step 3: Add in-app checkout with Buy Button
Instead of triggering a native in-app payment, when the user taps “Buy,” they’re redirected to an external browser-based checkout, already authenticated, already seeing the specific offer. One click and the purchase is done.View the full technical documentation here: How to enable Buy Button
Step 4: Return the user to the game automatically
After payment, you can configure redirects to bring the user back into the game. The gameplay flow remains uninterrupted while the transaction happens out of the game.
Step 5: Make the value clear and reward players for purchasing via Xsolla Buy Button
Give players a clear reason to choose direct payment links purchases. Offer added value like more currency, exclusive items, automatic coupons, or loyalty points redeemable for premium content - and highlight these perks directly in the UI, so that gamers know exactly what they are getting.By adding Buy Button to in-game purchases, you can shift a significant share of your existing IAP volume to direct sales while capturing more value per transaction.
Get started today
The rules have changed and the barriers are gone. Now is the moment to experiment with direct payment links, test new monetization flows, and make D2C a core part of your mobile strategy. Xsolla has supported mobile developers since the earliest days of Web Shops helping them take the leap and grow. With Buy Button, we’re continuing that work.Talk to an Xsolla Expert today Launch your Buy Button now