Epic wants to bring Fortnite for Android to Google Play, and a new report notes that the company has plans to submit it to the store „shortly.” However, it wants a pass from Google on paying those Play Store billing fees.
Fortnite for Android has helped make the battle royale game even more popular, but you’d be forgiven for not knowing that it actually exists for the platform.
That’s because you can’t actually install it on Android devices by going to the Google Play store. Instead, you have to grab the game through Epic’s own installer app. Which you grab from the Epic website.
There’s still no exact launch date
Epic hasn’t given an official date as to when it will submit the game to Google. Referring to it as „soon” though suggests that it could be right around the corner.
Submitting the app does not mean however that it will be available for download on the same day or even around the same time. That’s also if Google approves the submission in the first place.
Epic has made it clear that it thinks it should be given an exception on paying the fees for having to use Google Play as it’s billing system.
With the company’s CEO Tim Sweeney stating that he believes it’s „illegal” to require developers to use Google Play for billing at a 30-percent fee when Google has over half of the mobile market share.
Google probably won’t allow an exception for Epic
Google hasn’t outright confirmed that it won’t allow an exception with Fortnite for Android. It does seem to suggest that it won’t budge on its policies though.
In a statement to 9To5Google, the company is defending its reasons for charging a 30-percent fee on any Google Play-related billing, as well as its requirement that any app distributed on the Play Store use it for billing for in-app purchases.
Google notes that it expects all developers to participate under the same terms. Which more or less points to the fact that if Epic wants to distribute Fortnite for Android on Google Play, it’ll have to abide by the same rules as everyone else.
To be fair, Epic isn’t necessarily seeking an exception just for itself. It’s looking to change the way Google’s policy works so developers in general aren’t required to use Google Play for billing. But instead would have a choice.
This would give Epic a way to skirt having to pay the 30-percent fee. So that’s no doubt the driving force in seeking this exception and change.
The post Epic Wants A Pass On Google Play Fees With Fortnite For Android appeared first on Android Headlines.

Source: ndroidheadlines.com