Fortnite returns to Google Play Store after four-year ban, but there is a catch

Fortnite has officially returned to the Google Play Store after years-long dispute that kept the hit battle royale title off major mobile platforms. Epic Games has confirmed its comeback with a post on X, restoring direct access for Android users after a major legal fight with Google. For the unversed, the game was pulled in 2020 after Epic introduced its own payment system to bypass the 30 per cent commission charged by Apple and Google. The move triggered immediate removal from both app stores and sparked a series of lawsuits challenging the companies’ control over app distribution and in-app purchases.

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After that, Epic secured a major legal victory against Google in 2023, but the case continued through the appeals process until this year. Now, after Fortnite’s return to Android, follows a recent settlement between the two companies, which includes the policy changes aimed at competition and giving developers more flexibility.

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“Fortnite is back on the Google Play Store in the U.S. following Google’s compliance with the US District Court’s injunction. We’re continuing to work with Google to seek court approval of our settlement. Stay tuned for news of Fortnite’s return to Google Play for the rest of the world,” the company stated on X.

On the Apple side, Fortnite resumed availability in May after a judge ruled that Apple’s restrictions on alternative payment options were anticompetitive, paving the way for the title to reappear on iOS after nearly five years. Samsung had also removed Fortnite from its Galaxy Store in 2023 due to a separate dispute, though the game was reinstated earlier in 2024.

However, Fortnite is currently available on the Google Play Store in the United States only. It is not available in India and other countries at the moment. But the fans can download it via the official Epic Games Store app. All the gamers need to go to the official Fortnite Mobile page on an Android device and download and install the Epic Games Store app (an APK file) and then open it to install Fortnite within the store.

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Ashish Singh

Ashish Singh is the Chief Copy Editor at Digit. He's been wrangling tech jargon since 2020 (Times Internet, Jagran English '22). When not policing commas, he's likely fueling his gadget habit with coffee, strategising his next virtual race, or plotting a road trip to test the latest in-car tech. He speaks fluent Geek. View Full Profile