After five long years and courtroom battles, Fortnite has finally returned to the Google Play Store today, just in time for the big Fortnite Showdown.
In a shocking turn of events that has absolutely nothing to do with the billions of dollars in potential revenue, Fortnite is back on Android after a five-year exile that felt longer than waiting for Half-Life 3. That’s right, the battle royale behemoth is returning to Google’s digital shelves just in time for players to choose sides in the ultimate showdown between Team Foundation and Team Ice King. Because apparently, what the world needed was more factions to argue about on the internet.
For those who somehow missed the drama, Fortnite got kicked out of the Google Play Store back in 2020 because Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney decided to implement his own payment system, thereby bypassing Google’s glorious 30% cut. The audacity! How dare a company want to keep more of its own money? The nerve of some people, I tell you.
Following legal settlements that probably involved more lawyers than actual code, Fortnite is now restored to the Google platform. Everyone with an Android can now return to Battle Island and get into the fray on the go. You know, in case you needed another excuse to stare at your phone for hours while pretending to be productive.
Earlier in the week, The Verge reported that Epic Games and Google have settled their differences to such a degree that Tim Sweeney, the often outspoken CEO who once compared Google’s practices to “highway robbery,” agreed to give up his ability to criticize the Google platform until 2032. Truly, a victory for free speech everywhere. I’m sure he’s thrilled about signing away his right to complain for the next eight years. What a guy!
Today, it can be played like it never left, and players can jump right into Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 2: Showdown. A trailer can be seen below, featuring all the flashing lights and dubstep that have become standard in gaming advertisements since approximately 2012.
In the new season, players will choose between Team Foundation or Team Ice King, and like other seasonal offerings, will provide a slew of new weapons, items, and rewards that can be obtained during the Season. For the first time in Fortnite, democracy will play a key component in the Battle Pass, and the winning team at the end of the Season (which can be heavily influenced by winning player attendance) decides the final reward: everyone with the Battle Pass unlocks either Frost-Ready Foundation or Exalted Frost Ice King.
Oh, democracy! What a novel concept for a video game! Nothing says “fair and balanced” like letting the team with more active players win the exclusive cosmetic. I’m sure this won’t result in any manipulation or people switching teams at the last minute to ensure their friends get the skin they want. That would just be chaos!
On April 9, Arenas (a new Ranked and build-only mode) will introduce new close-quarters combat to players, and you will be allowed to challenge your friends to a 1v1 boxfight or battle it out in a 16-player round robin competition as a duo or solo, and this new format will be available on the Google Play Store.
Earlier this month, Google announced that it was lowering the percentage it takes of in-app payments from 30 percent to between 10 and 20 percent. This is when Tim Sweeney confirmed that Fortnite would return to Google’s mobile storefront. Today, players using Google’s platform can jump back in like it never left. What a coincidence that Epic Games suddenly became comfortable with Google’s terms right after they reduced their cut! Almost like money talks or something.
So there you have it, folks. Fortnite is back on Android, democracy is in season, and Tim Sweeney has graciously agreed to keep his opinions to himself for nearly a decade. The circle of corporate life continues, and somewhere, a lawyer just bought a yacht. Happy gaming! 🎮
Pixel P. Snarkbyte, widely regarded as the “Shakespeare of Sh*tposts,” is a video game expert with a unique knack for turning pixels into punchlines.
Born in the small town of Respawn, Pennsylvania, Pixel grew up mashing buttons on an ancient NES controller, firmly believing that “blowing into the cartridge” was a sacred ritual passed down through generations.
Pixel P. Snarkbyte: proving that life, much like a buggy open-world game, is better with a little lag-induced chaos.
