Post ContentFortnite’s return to Google Play marks the end of a six-year dispute between Epic Games and Google. (Image Source: Epic Games)
Fortnite developer Epic Games has confirmed that the game will be coming back to the Google Play Store globally on March 19.
Almost six years ago, Google had removed Fortnite from the Play Store after Epic Games filed a lawsuit against the tech giant, accusing it of illegally monopolising how users download and install apps on Android devices.
In a post on X, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said that the free-to-play shooting game will be coming back to the Play Store worldwide, where it was previously available.
While Sweeney had announced in December last year that Fortnite was making a comeback on the Play Store, it looks like the game was only available to those living in the United States.
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March 19 is also when Fortnite’s Chapter 7 Season 2 kicks off. Like its desktop counterpart, the game will not only be limited to Battle Royale mode, but also get Lego Fortnite, Fortnite OG, Festival and creator modes.
Back in 2020, both Apple and Google removed Fortnite from their respective app stores after Epic Games introduced a direct payment option that bypassed Apple App Store and Google Play Store’s in-app purchase mechanisms.
Soon after, Epic Games filed a lawsuit against Google for killing all competition by charging app developers 30 per cent commission fees for in-app purchases.
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Fast forward to 2023, a federal jury consisting of nine members unanimously ruled in favour of Epic Games on all questions, implying that Google had indeed maintained a monopoly in the Android app distribution market.
However, that wasn’t enough to bring Fortnite back to the Play Store. Earlier this month, after almost six years of antitrust scrutiny, Google announced that it is changing its app store policies and reducing in-app transaction fees, allowing developers to use their preferred billing platforms.
The tech giant also confirmed that it has settled all disputes with Epic Games worldwide, which is why Fortnite is coming back on the Play Store in regions other than the US. As part of the settlement, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has also allegedly agreed not to sue Google.
