Fortnite set to return to Google Play Store soon

Fortnite will return to the Google Play Store soon, as confirmed by Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney.

The decision comes after a settlement between Google and Epic Games, resulting in the former making changes to its store and payment policies.

While Epic Games hasn’t announced an exact release date, we can expect Fortnite to be available on the Play Store by the end of 2026.

“Fortnite will return to Google Play Store worldwide soon. Epic Games Store continues supporting Android worldwide alongside Windows and Mac, and installation on Android will become much easier later in 2026,” Tim Sweeney stated on X (Twitter).

As part of the settlement, Google will allow developers to use their own billing systems and also let users install third-party app stores on Android devices.

While these changes will first be implemented in countries outside the US, both companies have submitted a proposal in the U.S. District Court as well. According to the official press release, all the changes will be implemented throughout 2026 and 2027.

Fortnite was removed from the Google Play Store in 2020 after Epic Games introduced its own payment system for in-game purchases to bypass Google’s billing system.

Fortnite’s Play Store Return Expected to Expand Android Player Base

Once the game launches on the Google Play Store again, it will be significantly more accessible to Android players across the world.

Until now, the game has been available to download from the Epic Games Store app; however, installing updates through this method has been inconvenient.

Moreover, a lot of players don't go out of their way to install a separate launcher for a single game. As a result, Fortnite player count should once again see a jump and several new competitive players are expected to emerge.