Fortnite set to return to Google Play after Epic Games and Google settlement
It's coming home
- Fortnite expected to return to Google Play following Epic-Google settlement
- Game was removed in 2020 after Epic bypassed Google’s billing system
- Updated Play policies now allow alternative billing and easier store distribution
After years of courtroom filings and the occasional passive-aggressive tweet, the long-running feud between Epic Games and Google might finally be cooling down. And the biggest sign of that detente is pretty simple – Fortnite is expected to return to Google Play.
Fortnite hasn’t been properly available on Google Play since 2020, when Epic introduced its own payment system inside the game to bypass Google’s billing rules. The result was immediate removal from the store and the start of a legal battle that dragged on for years. In the meantime, Fortnite was only available through Epic’s own storefront or sideloading, which wasn’t really convenient.
Now, following a settlement between Epic and Google, the situation is shifting. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney has confirmed that Fortnite will return to Google Play globally, though an exact date hasn’t been announced yet. The expectation is that it will happen sometime before the end of 2026.
The change is tied to wider updates to Google Play policies. Google is reducing its revenue share and allowing developers to use alternative billing systems rather than being locked into Google’s own payment infrastructure. Developers will also be able to distribute third-party app stores more easily on Android devices.
If you’re curious about the business mechanics behind the settlement, including revenue share changes and the new developer programmes, our colleagues over at PocketGamer.biz have a full breakdown of the deal.
For most of us, though, the takeaway is simpler. After years of what often felt like a corporate standoff where only the players had to jump through hoops, Fortnite should soon be downloadable from the same place you install everything else on your phone.
Peace in our time? Maybe. Or at least until the next platform dispute.
While you wait for Fortnite to finally return, you might want to browse our list of the top battle royale games on Android.
