Fortnite Android release date – When will Fortnite finally come to Android?

Fortnite’s Android release date seems to be edging ever closer, with yet more leaks and rumours starting to circulate.

Fortnite is a multiplatform smash-hit, but it’s still not available on Android – the most popular mobile operating system in the world. There’s no firm release date for Fornite on Android right now, but the stated release window has almost passed, and recent developments are hinting that we might see something soon.

Be careful though. Since there’s been no full official announcement or apps released so far, anything claiming to be Fortnite on Android that you can download now is not legitimate, and at worst could be trying to steal your personal data.

Fortnite Android release date:

The targeted Fortnite Android release date is “Summer” 2018. This comes from Epic Games’ official blog, which said: “We are targeting this summer for the release. We know many of you are excited for this release, and we promise that when we have more information to share, you’ll hear it from us first.”

The most recent rumours though seem to suggest that Fortnite will be a timed exclusive with the release of the new Samsung Note 9 handset. The Samsung Note 9 is set to be unveiled on August 9, before the phone reaches pre-order customers and early adopters in the subsequent couple of weeks. This would mean that Fortnite might be first available to everyone else using Android in September.

Another development is that Epic Games could choose to not list Fortnite on the Google Play store. Fortnite has form for going it alone – it’s not available through Steam on PC – and doing so would allow Epic Games to get around the 30% that Google take from in-app purchases made through the Play Store. This rumour comes from URLs left in the code of Fortnite Mobile which say “This is necessary to install any app outside of the Play Store”, when you look at them in a browser.

This might not be a permanent situation though. Fortnite might be separate from the Play Store to more easily control its period of timed exclusivity, before it becomes more widely available.

With the release of Fortnite Season 5, dataminers found a few more clues that hint an Android release is coming soon. FortniteTracker released a video showing that they had found some files in the most recent Fortnite patch called “Android_Engine”, “Android_Game”, and “Android_RuntimeOptions”. The presence of these files in the live game would suggest that an Android version of the game is getting closer to completion, and at least confirms that Epic are still actively developing one.

Fortnite made its way to iOS back in Spring, and is now available to everyone with a compatible device after a period of invite-only access. On the iOS version of Fortnite mobile invites were given out via email. You had to sign up on the Epic Games site, then you’d eventually receive a code.

This is likely because of the massive install base of mobile operating systems. If Epic were to just open the floodgates to every potential mobile player, it’d be too much to handle. It’s likely the there’ll be a staggered launch of Fortnite on Android too.

If you sign up for Fortnite mobile via the Epic Games site and login to your existing account, you can a list of prospective compatible devices, so you can see how your device stacks up ahead of time. These possible devices include:

• Google Pixel 2 / XL
• Huawei Mate 10 / Pro / Lite
• Huawei Mate 9 / Pro
• Huawei P10 / P10 Plus / P10 Lite
• Huawei P9 / P9 Lite
• Huawei P8 Lite 2017
• LG G6
• LG V30 / V30+
• Other comparable devices

An alternative read of the situation though is that it could just spring up at any time. The most recent platform to get Fortnite was the Nintendo Switch, with a surprise announcement during this year’s E3. This means there’s form for Fortnite appearing unexpectedly on a platform. It’s not like they need time to drum up hype.

Currently though, Epic Games might have their hands full and be focussing their development resources on players they already have. Fortnite Season 5 starts in a couple of weeks time following the rocket launch event that cracked the sky over the map.

On mobile Fortnite isn’t just a straight port, but its own version of the game with many bespoke elements that are tuned specifically for touch-based controls. However, it does an amazing job of feeling as feature complete as the console and PC versions, including the same challenges to complete each week. If you need help with any of the new Fortnite Season 5 Week 2 Challenges, take a look at our guides on how to score a basket on different hoops, and search between an Oasis, Rock Archway and Dinosaurs.

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