Fortnite removed from Google Play Store but still available on Android devices

Fortnite mobile players have been on a wild ride since Epic Games released an update, allowing for in-game purchases directly from the developer, instead of going through the Apple App Store and Google PlayStore. Since then, Apple has removed Fortnite, and now, Google has followed in Apple's footsteps, as Fortnite has been removed from the Google Play Store.

Fortnite removed from Google Play Store

While it took Google a bit longer than Apple to remove Fortnite, you won't find the Battle Royale sensation on the Google Play Store any longer. Keep in mind Fortnite hasn't even been on the Google Play Store for all too long in the first place.

• Read more: Epic fires back at Apple with a parody of "1984" commercial

At the time of writing, Epic Games haven't shared a lot of information on the removal of Fortnite from the Google Play Store, only sharing a short tweet. Maybe they are busy preparing a parody film...

Google's terms are quite clear for the Play Store. Developers who offer game downloads with in-app purchases must use Google Play In-app Billing as the method of payment. Just like Apple, Google takes a 30% cut of the profits.

(Picture: Epic Games)

According to Forbes, Google has responded with the following statement:

"The open Android ecosystem lets developers distribute apps through multiple app stores. For game developers who choose to use the Play Store, we have consistent policies that are fair to developers and keep the store safe for users.

"While Fortnite remains available on Android, we can no longer make it available on Play because it violates our policies. However, we welcome the opportunity to continue our discussions with Epic and bring Fortnite back to Google Play."

• Read more: Apple remove Fortnite from their App Store for "violating the company’s guidelines"

Unlike with Apple and iOS, you can still get Fortnite on an Android device by downloading the APK file.

Android is much more of an open system, meaning Google can't (or won't) block Fortnite completely from working on Android devices.