Epic Games is set to bring Fortnite back to the Google Play Store on March 19, aligning with the launch of the game’s next season, following a recent settlement with Google that resolved their ongoing legal disputes.
The return of Fortnite to the Play Store is a significant development for the franchise, which has been absent since its removal in 2020. Google had pulled the game after Epic attempted to circumvent its 30 percent commission on in-app purchases. A similar conflict with Apple led to Fortnite’s removal from the App Store, prompting Epic to take legal action against both tech giants.
The legal battles have driven changes in the operation of the App Store in certain regions, including the US and the EU. Fortnite was reinstated on the App Store in the EU in 2024 and in the US the previous year. The settlement reached in November marked a crucial turning point for Epic and Google, with Google announcing a reduction in its in-app payment commission from 30 percent to a range between 10 and 20 percent.
As part of the settlement terms, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney agreed to refrain from publicly criticizing the Google Play Store until 2032. In a related move, Epic recently announced a price increase for its in-game currency, V-Bucks, and confirmed that the Save the World mode will transition to a free-to-play model in April.
