When Fortnite launched back in 2018, they ditched the Play Store to avoid Google’s 30% cut and Android users either had to sideload the Fortnite app., get it from Epic Games website or through Samsung Galaxy App store.
Google warned of the security nightmare bound to happen since users will be required to lower their security permissions.
“The 30 per cent store tax is a high cost in a world where game developers’ 70 per cent must cover all the cost of developing, operating, and supporting their games…There’s a rationale for this on the console where there’s an enormous investment in hardware, often sold below cost and marketing campaigns in broad partnership with publishers…30 per cent is disproportionate to the cost of the services these stores perform, such as payment processing, download bandwidth, and customer service,” said Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games
The game has become very popular for users on PC, game consoles and mobile devices.
When the year began Epic Games had requested Google exempt them from the 30% revenue cut. It was denied.
The company folded and decided to have Fortnite on the Google Play Store.
Here’s what they had to say:
“Google puts software downloadable outside of Google Play at a disadvantage, through technical and business measures such as scary, repetitive security pop-ups for downloaded and updated software, restrictive manufacturer and carrier agreements and dealings, Google public relations characterizing third-party software sources as malware, and new efforts such as Google Play Protect to outright block software obtained outside the Google Play store. Because of this, we’ve launched Fortnite for Android on the Google Play Store. We’ll continue to operate the Epic Games App and Fortnite outside of Google Play, too.
We hope that Google will revise its policies and business dealings in the near future, so that all developers are free to reach and engage in commerce with customers on Android and in the Play Store through open services, including payment services, that can compete on a level playing field.”
Download Fortnite for Android here.
After a year+ living in the wild as a 3rd party Android app, @FortniteGame comes to @GooglePlay after all with standard terms. If Fortnite couldn't pressure the app stores to change their policies, unlikely anyone else can at this point https://t.co/aDBH0kk1I2
— Jon Lai (@Tocelot) April 22, 2020
The duopoly racket on mobile app stores is deeply anticompetitive, exploitive, and abusive. We desperately need regulation to bust this stranglehold on software distribution. https://t.co/xFwLYEGdTc
— DHH (@dhh) April 22, 2020
It’s worth noting that Epic Games will still continue to distribute Fortnite directly on its website.
