Credit: Koshiro K / Shutterstock

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Summary

• Fortnite makes its return to the Google Play Store after a five-year absence.
• Android players no longer need sideloads or cloud workarounds to get the game.
• Epic’s legal fight forced app-store changes, boosting developer and consumer choice.

After five long years, Fortnite has made its triumphant return to the Google Play Store. The move coincides with the launch of Fortnite’s Season 7 and (hopefully) marks the official end of Epic’s long battle with Google. The two companies previously announced a settlement in November of 2025.

Having Fortnite back on the Play Store means users no longer need to jump through hoops to get access to the popular game on Android. Since being pulled, Android gamers have had to rely on more complicated methods to download the game, such as sideloading using the Epic Games Store or a cloud gaming platform like GeForce NOW.

Why Fortnite’s return is a big deal

It’s a major win for developers and consumers

Credit: Aryan Surendranath / MakeUseOf

Although it may seem trivial in the grand scheme of things, Epic’s victory is actually significant for both developers and consumers:

• The legal case helped put a spotlight on the restrictive practices and huge commissions both Apple and Google had in place for app developers.
• The victory sets an important standard for consumers — that they should have more choice in where they get apps and how they pay for them (although Google is making sideloading on Android more difficult).
• It also lets app developers know that they can stand up to the tech giants when faced with oppressive practices.

As a result of these cases, Apple has been forced to open up alternative payment options on iOS, which is a significant change that may lead to further opening up the "walled garden" in the future.

Epic’s battle royale

How did Fortnite end up in this mess in the first place?

Credit: Koshiro K / Shutterstock

For those who don’t remember, Fortnite was pulled from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store way back in August of 2020. Here’s the rundown:

• Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, released a patch that allowed users to buy V-bucks (Fortnite’s in-game currency) directly from Epic. This move allowed Epic to bypass the 30% cut that Apple and Google normally take from in-app purchases.
• In response, Fortnite was almost immediately pulled from the App Store and Google Play for violating the stores’ terms of service.
• Within hours of being pulled, Epic filed antitrust lawsuits against both Apple and Google.

Epic has been in a long, back-and-forth battle with both Apple and Google ever since. Fortnite returned to the Apple App Store in May of 2025 (we’re still waiting on an update for the Mac version). However, although Epic and Google settled in November, legal proceedings with Apple are still ongoing.

You can download Fortnite from the Google Play Store now. You can also still install the game via the Epic Games Store if you prefer.