Fortnite is officially returning to the Google Play Store following a lengthy legal battle.
Android users can soon enjoy the popular multiplayer battle royale Fortnite on their mobile devices once again. Epic Games is bringing Fortnite back to the Google Play Store starting 19 March, six years after its initial delisting, which triggered a protracted legal dispute between the developer and Google.
Epic’s decision to return to Google Play follows the resolution of the lawsuit, in which Google’s commission on in-app purchases was reduced from 30% to 20%. An additional 5% commission will be applied later this year for developers using Google’s proprietary payment system, according to Mobile Gamer.
Court documents also stipulate that Epic may no longer advocate for further changes to the Play Store ecosystem or publicly disparage Google regarding this agreement.
The tumultuous history of Fortnite on the Google Play Store
Epic has a long history of navigating around the Play Store, largely to avoid its 30% fee. When Fortnite launched on Android in 2018, it was made available exclusively through Epic’s website and the Samsung Galaxy Store, deliberately bypassing Google Play.
This approach created tension, as Google warned users against installing apps from unknown sources, discouraging downloads outside its own store. Epic publicly criticised Google over these warnings.
Epic eventually launched Fortnite on Google Play, with the company introducing a direct payment system to circumvent Google’s 30% cut. This led to the game being immediately removed from the store for violating Play Store policies.
The incident sparked a long legal battle. In 2020, Epic filed a lawsuit accusing Google of anti-competitive behaviour and three years later, the jury largely sided with Epic, upholding its claims that Google had engaged in anti-competitive practices.
Ages later, Fortnite is finally returning to the Google Play Store after a six-year absence, just in time for its next season and the free-to-play launch of Save The World. These updates may attract a surge of players, though many fans are currently busy campaigning against the recent V-Bucks price increase instead.
