Fortnite for Android Might Not Be Available on Google Play Store

Fortnite’s launch on Android is probably the most-anticipated smartphone game release and the battle royale champion is finally ready for primetime. However, Fortnite creator Epic Games will seemingly take a non-traditional route for the launch as Fortnite will not be available for download via the Google Play Store.

Yes, you read that right. According to a latest XDA Developers report, Fortnite for Android may be delivered to the users using the game’s website,instead of being distributed via the Play Store.This information was found hidden on the Fortnite Mobile page on Epic Games’ website, and you can see the steps for installation in the screenshot below. The instructions say that you will need to download the APK and add that users will be ‘prompted with some security permissions’ when they try to install the app, if they have not already allowed such installations.

Epic Games makes it clear that the Fornite will not be distributed via the Play Store by adding a security description that “this is necessary to install any app outside of the Play Store.”

A Redditor has also managed to get the Epic Games’ website to display the instruction images. They further clarify that the game will need to be downloaded through the browser and side-loaded on an Android device. What’s unclear is how in-app purchases will work as Google does not allow Google Pay-based payments for in-app purchases on non Play Store apps.