Ever since Epic Games confirmed that the Android version of Fortnite would be released this summer, fans on Android-powered devices have been eager for more information. With summer now in full swing, time is running out for Epic to detail when and how its game is going to be released on the platform.
As Epic continues to keep quiet about when Fortnite will finally arrive on Android, leaks have confirmed various aspects about the game’s Android launch. The latest leak, from a website called XDA Developers, claims that Fortnite will be released on Samsung devices on August 24 (the 30-day exclusivity deal leaked earlier this week). That’s not all, though, as the leak also suggests that Fortnite Android may not be available on the Google Play Store.
XDA Developers discovered this information by taking a closer look at the source of the Fortnite mobile page on the Epic Games website and found text that explained that players will be “prompted with some security permissions” once they have downloaded the game. These security permissions, the text explains, are “necessary to install any app outside of the Play Store.”
There is some speculation that Epic Games has made the decision to bypass the Google Play Store in order to avoid giving Google a cut of the game’s revenue. Fortnite on iOS makes an estimated $2 million a day and if the game does similar numbers upon its Android launch, Epic Games will have to hand over $600,000 to Google every single day, per the company’s 30% revenue cut. And although Epic is now worth over $8 billion because of Fortnite’s success, $600,000 isn’t a small amount of money to hand over.
While releasing Fortnite Android through some an Epic Games launcher (similar to how the game is available on PC and Mac) may make better business sense, many Fortnite fans are highly skeptical of the decision. By releasing the game on a non-Google Play channel, it will be much harder for players to distinguish whether they are downloading the real version of the game or not.
Fortnite fans have already found themselves roped in by scams, including scammers who have approached targets within the game itself. Epic has also had to urge players not to get duped by offers for free V-Bucks and skins, only going through the official channels. This just highlights that the game’s community is especially susceptible to falling for scams, meaning that fans may also be more likely to download a bogus, malware infested version of the game, thinking it’s the real Android release.
Fortnite is available on PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and iOS devices. A release on Android is planned for later this summer.
Source: XDA Developers
