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Fortnite removed from Google Play Store

The massively popular battle royale has received another knock, this time on Android devices.

Sam Chandler

August 13, 2020 5:00 PM

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Fortnite can no longer be downloaded on Android devices via the Google Play Store. This latest development comes after Epic Games updated Fortnite on mobile to allow in-game purchases, circumventing the cut platform owners receive from sales.

Following Apple’s decision to remove Fortnite from the Apple Store, Google has seemingly followed suit with its Android devices, opting to remove Fortnite from the Google Play Store.

The reason for these removals comes after Epic Games updated Fortnite on August 13, 2020. The update allowed users to make purchases within the game, circumventing the storefront where platform owners (Apple and Google), typically make a 30 percent cut.

This caused an instant backlash from Apple, who swiftly removed the game from the storefront. Players who already have the game downloaded will still be able to play, until such a time that an update is required.

What followed was an in-game short video that poked fun at Apple’s own Super Bowl commercial, which utilized themes and imagery from the dystopian film, 1984, a film based on a George Orwell classic by the same name. The point? The company that posed itself as breaking the authoritarian and propaganda-driven world had become what it sought to destroy.

And now, Epic Games has filed a lawsuit against Apple. Whether the company will do the same with Google, and come out with a cheeky video to boot, remains to be seen.

For now, though, Fortnite players on Android will be unable to download the game directly from the Google Play Store. However, it seems as if Fortnite can still be downloaded from the Epic Games app, as Android devices allow third-party downloads.

It’s a messy time for Fortnite, but it seems as if Epic Games was ready for this with its opening gambit. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on any developments.

Sam Chandler

Head of Guides

Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler brings a bit of the southern hemisphere flair to his work. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and entering the video game industry, he's found his new family here at Shacknews as Head of Guides. There's nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can message him on X: @SamuelChandler