Since 2020, Google and Epic Games were entangled in a legal feud that kept Fortnite off of Google’s platforms. The two companies signaled that they had reached terms for a settlement late in 2025, and now, the legal battle is over and the path is clear for Fortnite to return to Google Play.
In a statement shared on Epic’s site, the company stated that it will “be investing robustly in serving developers and gamers with the Epic Games Store for Android, and will also be bringing Fortnite back to the Google Play Store worldwide.” The statement also noted that Epic and Google have jointly asked the US District Court to accept their proposal to end the lawsuit.
One of the main obstacles that led to this lawsuit was Google’s refusal to let apps accept payment without going through Google Play Billing. Google has announced that it will now allow third-party billing on its platforms, but the change will be rolled out in the following stages.
By June 30
- EEA, the United Kingdom, and the US
By September 30
- Australia
By December 31
- Korea and Japan
By September 30, 2027
- The updates will reach the rest of the world
Epic Founder Tim Sweeney celebrated the news on social media and said that Fortnite will be back on Google Play Store “soon.” He added that “installation on Android will become much easier later in 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 (@TimSweeneyEpic) March 4, 2026
In the meantime, it appears that Fortnite recently had some trouble with its servers due to data centers targeted by Iranian drones. Epic has also indicated its plan to step up its Fortnite live-service efforts.
