Debuting only three weeks ago, the smash hit Fortnite: Battle Royale has been downloaded over 15 million times on Android devices. Publisher Epic Games has already made millions of dollars through the in-game store.
The development and release of the megapopular game have been an important priority for both Epic Games and Android phone manufacturer Samsung. Developing games, especially more graphically intensive console-quality games like Fortnite, is often a nightmare for developers.
Unlike the iOS, which has a small and unified OS and family of devices to develop for, Android has thousands of different devices and many different versions of its software to take into consideration. Currently, your Android device must be on the more powerful side if it is to run Fortnite smoothly.
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Start your game right ►Epic Games recently teamed up with Samsung in a cross-promotion that awards an exclusive Galaxy skin to players who download Fortnite on the Galaxy Note9 or Tab S4. Owners of these devices can choose between receiving this skin and 15,000 v-bucks (Fortnite’s premium currency, used to buy cosmetics, worth over $100) or a pair of AKG headphones.
It’s worth noting that Fortnite is not available to download on the Google Play Store. Epic Games said that their reason for forgoing the Google Play Store was because they want a “direct relationship with our customers on all platforms where that’s possible.” Translated from PR speak to English this means that Epic wants to avoid the hefty 30% revenue cut that Google takes from any app downloaded through Google Play.
Given the massive success of Fortnite, it’s understandable that Google wants a slice of the pie, but on Android, Epic doesn’t need to share. On iOS devices, the only legitimate way an app can be downloaded is through the App Store. However, on Android, apps can be loaded from sources other than Google Play through a process called sideloading, in which an app package (apk file) is downloaded off the internet and installed directly on to the device.
The Ultimate Fortnite: Battle Royale Starter Guide
Start Here ►While this is a win for Epic, as they stand to make millions of dollars more than they would off of Google Play, this has some negative ramifications for consumers. Since even before the game’s official Android release, hundreds of Fortnite lookalike apps have popped up online with the intention of tricking the user into thinking they’re the real game. Once downloaded, these malicious fake apps can steal data or install harmful malware onto your phone.
It can be difficult to tell which Fortnite apps are the real deal, but Epic is aware of the issue and is currently taking down copycat apps.
Fortnite has achieved unprecedented success, and now Android players can battle against players on iOS, consoles, and PC. Stay tuned to Softonic for even more Fortnite tips and content.
