Google Play Store welcomes Epic Fortnite

For a time now, the names of exclusive video games on platforms have been reduced. Although large companies such as Nintendo or Playstation maintain unique titles in the catalogs (such as God of War saga on the Sony console or Super Mario games for Nintendo), users have turned towards behavior that can be identified as multiplatform. Many gamers enjoy the ability to continue their home experience on their mobile phones while traveling or away from their main consoles.
Since 2017 Epic Fortnite has been in the news for its shocking popularity and the economic figures it manages. The title developed by the American company Epic Games is constantly growing and has expanded among players of all consoles and ages. In a context where mobile telephony is inescapable and the vast majority of users use the Android system, questions and queries were recurring, where is Fortnite on Android, how to download Fortnite on Android, why can't I find Fortnite on Google Play Store.

Fortnite's path and a tension between companies

As the most popular title in Battle Royale mode captured players from all over the world and they demanded the presence of their favorite game on all platforms, a conflict began to dazzle. In short, when Fortnite “sat down” to negotiate with Google for its presence in the Play Store, it refused to pay the 30% commission that the search engine store requires of all applications for purchases made within each Program. In short, the fundamental pillar of Fortnite's economic model. Although the Epic Games title is free to download and can be played without paying anything, the items sold in the store and what is known as "season passes" (missions and extra content of what is installed without cost) are the ones that support the video game.
Due to the initial tension in the negotiation, the history of Fortnite for mobile telephony began with its presence only on iOS (the operating system for iphone phones), Samsung and later on Android, but only as an external download through the Epic Games website.
In mid-2018, Samsung was the first company to have the possibility of installing Fortnite on their mobile devices and tablets. The powerful technology company decided to include the title due to the evident and exponential increase in videogame revenues on mobile phones, in fact they began to optimize their products in such a way that they support this type of program. At the end of that year, Fortnite fans on Android received great news, the game was available.
But not everything was optimism, to install the popular game it had to be done from outside the Google Play Store. Fortnite was what is known as an apk and in order to have it on your mobile phone you had to enter the Epic Games site and scan the QR code or look for the download link from the browser. Epic Games was looking to develop its own online games store with a lower commission system than that proposed by Android, Google and the Google Play Store.

The end of a conflict?

According to Google, the 30% that charges each application commission has the purpose of being able to invest in the platforms and tools to improve both the experience of users and developers. Oriented this investment with regard to quality and safety. From Epic Games they accuse the Google Play Store and Google of abusing monopoly position by being the official store of the Android operating system and imposing high fees. In turn, and what will be the reason for the end of this story, harm with excess security controls those programs that are downloaded as apk, that is, outside the Google Play Store.
After 18 months of offering Fortnite from the website and through an official statement, Epic Games, brings one of the great news about Fortnite where it affirms that Google through repeated messages and updates on threats to the security of the device scares the users. users when installing programs that are outside the Google Play Store. For this reason they decide to include it in the most important virtual store on Android, while continuing to invite the company to review its practices and policies and consider all the developers who want to reach users. In addition, they will continue with the development and the possibility of downloading the game from the Epic Games site.

The story of the arrival of Epic Fortnite to the Google Play Store hints that behind the hours of entertainment that users enjoy, companies must resolve a large number of tensions between them. The popularity of Fortnite allowed it to demonstrate the behavior it denounces from Google and by what other smaller developers may also go through.
The possibility of downloading Fortnite on Android, now directly from the Play Store, was well received by players in general, as millions of downloads have been recorded since it was available.