We had reported on rumor just a few days ago which suggested that Epic Games would not be releasing Fortnite for Android devices via the Google Play Store. Now Epic Games has confirmed that this is indeed the case, and answered some of Eurogamer’s questions regarding the reasoning behind this decision.
For a game as big as Fortnite is, it makes sense that they do not really need the exposure that the Google Play Store provides. As for why exactly they are not releasing the game through the Play Store, the main motivation seems to be to avoid the 30% store tax, since the developers feel that is too high a cost in proportion to the service provided. The other main reason that Epic Games provided is that they want to have a direct relationship with the gamers.
The developers stated, “Epic wants to have a direct relationship with our customers on all platforms where that’s possible. The great thing about the Internet and the digital revolution is that this is possible, now that physical storefronts and middlemen distributors are no longer required.” Eurogamer also raised some security concerns regarding Android APK scams that could put consumers at risk, but the developer stated that they trust gamers to be responsible and to only download the game from a trusted source.
The installation procedure is quite easy as well, so we’ll have to wait and see how exactly the game is received on Android devices.