Fortnite Returns to the Google Play Store After Six Years in Exile

It’s incredible to think how much time has passed since one of the most celebrated titles in the video game market disappeared from the main Android app store.

After more than a five-year period of fierce legal battles and misunderstandings between Epic Games and Google, the hugely popular battle royale-style shooter is preparing to make its long-awaited official return to the Google Play Store.

The announcement came directly from the development studio’s social channels, confirming that the wait for fans has finally come to an end. The date to mark on the calendar is Thursday, March 19, a timing that strategically coincides with the launch of the brand-new season of the game.

Users will therefore be able to update and download the title easily and immediately, just as it used to happen daily before the situation escalated to the courtroom.

Fortnite Returns to the Google Play Store, It Had Been Gone for Six Years

In 2020, Fortnite was suddenly removed from the virtual storefront due to a violation of commercial guidelines imposed on software distributors.

The core of the matter concerned specifically the financial transactions: Epic Games had introduced a direct payment system inside its game, a move designed to evade the strict 30% commission that Google typically retains on every in-app purchase.

Although Android users over the years have nonetheless found alternative methods to install and run the app via third-party stores or downloads from the official site, the convenience of direct access from the Play Store was missing for millions of consumers.

The controversy sparked a heated debate about the practices of app-store operators, driving the two companies to clash openly without holding back.

The New Pact

Today the old hostilities seem to have been definitively archived, making room for a collaboration that promises to be highly beneficial for both tech entities.

The two companies have in fact negotiated and signed a commercial agreement of vast scope.

According to details emerging from recent statements, Epic Games has pledged to invest around 800 million dollars over six years for the use and implementation of the multiple services provided by Google.

In return for this substantial financial commitment, the search giant will provide large-scale promotional support for Fortnite and for Epic-branded products within its mobile ecosystem.

Moreover, this important agreement guarantees Google deeper and easier access to Unreal Engine, the powerful graphics engine developed by Epic that powers countless interactive productions worldwide.

This truce marks a return to normalcy for the public and establishes a highly significant economic synergy in the interactive entertainment market.