Epic Games' Fortnite returns to Google Play Store after 5 years of absence

Epic Games has relaunched Fortnite on Play Store in the US, ending a five-year standoff triggered by its 2020 in-game app purchase dispute with Google

After more than five years of absence, Epic Games’ Fortnite has returned to Android users through the Google Play Store. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney took to X to announce the return of the game for Android users in the US. In India, however, Fortnite is not available on the Google Play Store at the time of writing this report. 

 

Notably, Epic Games secured a favourable ruling from a US court regarding its return to the Google Play Store in July itself, but the game has returned only now. Fortnite was also banned from the Apple App Store earlier, however, it returned to iOS users back in May. 

Epic Games versus Google explained

The Epic Games vs Google dispute began in August 2020 after Epic bypassed Google Play’s billing system by adding its own direct payment option in Fortnite. Google removed the game from the Play Store for violating its rules, prompting Epic to file a lawsuit alleging that Google held an unlawful monopoly over Android app distribution and payments. Epic argued that despite Android permitting sideloading, Google limited real competition through restrictive agreements with device manufacturers and exclusive arrangements with developers.

 

Google had already resolved similar antitrust cases brought by Match Group and several US states, leading to modest policy adjustments, but Epic rejected a monetary settlement, pushing instead for broad structural changes. In December 2023, a federal jury ruled unanimously in Epic’s favour, concluding that Google had maintained a monopoly. The court ordered Google to permit third-party app stores within the Play Store, end special revenue-sharing deals, and allow developers to guide users to alternative payment systems.

 

Google appealed the decision, but on July 31, 2025, an appeals court upheld the ruling, securing a legal win for Epic. This cleared the path for the Epic Games Store and Fortnite to return to the Play Store without the previous restrictions. However, Google took more than four months to restore the game on the Play Store. 

What is Fortnite

Fortnite is a multiplayer online gaming title created by Epic Games and launched in 2017. It is best known for its battle royale mode, where as many as 100 players fight on a single map until one player or squad is left standing. The game includes additional modes, but battle royale remains its most popular. Its mechanics blend third-person shooting with a real-time building system that lets players create defensive or tactical structures during combat.

 

Beyond its core modes, Fortnite regularly introduces updates, seasonal content, and limited-time events, often involving partnerships with major entertainment brands. These collaborations have kept the game prominent, particularly among younger audiences. The game was removed from both the App Store and Google Play in 2020 after disagreements over in-app payment rules. Since then, Android players had to rely on sideloading to install it, while iOS users lacked an official way to download or update the game outside select regions. Now, the game is available on both Google Play Store and Apple App Store.