Epic Games and Google have settled their long-running conflict over Fortnite, which began back in 2020. As part of the agreement, the game will return to Google Play worldwide — its return is expected in 2026.
This was announced by Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney on his Twitter/X page. He thanked Google for reaching the agreement and confirmed that Fortnite will once again be available for download directly through the Android app store. At the same time, Epic will continue to support its own Epic Games Store on Android.
The conflict between the companies began in 2020, when Epic introduced its own payment system in Fortnite, allowing it to bypass app store commissions. In response, the game was removed from Google Play and the App Store, leading to a series of legal disputes.
The situation began to change in 2025 after several court rulings that affected the operating rules of digital stores. In December 2025, Fortnite had already returned to Google Play in the United States after a five-year absence. Now the game is expected to become available to Android users worldwide once again.
Part of the agreement also concerns changes to the Android platform itself. Google is preparing a registration program for third-party app stores that is intended to simplify their installation on devices.
The company is also revising the commission model in Google Play. For payments through Google Play Billing, the commission will be 5% in the United States, EU countries, and the United Kingdom. For in-game purchases, the rate will be in the 15-20% range, and for subscriptions — 10%. The new system will begin rolling out in certain regions as early as June, and its global launch is expected by September 2027.