The most popular video game in the world is Fortnite. The most popular smartphone operating system in the world is Android. And yet until Thursday, overlap between the two has been severely hamstrung; you could only install it on a Samsung Galaxy device, or by getting off of a beta waitlist. Now, though, anyone with an Android phone can Electro Shuffle to their heart’s content on their tiny screens. Here’s how.
For starters, this is not an app you can download from the Google Play Store. If you see something there that claims to be Fortnite, skip it. In fact, if you see Fortnite anywhere on the internet other than the website of its developer, Epic, don’t even think about clicking or tapping or engaging with it in any way. It’s almost certainly malware.
To be clear, this is a rare admonishment. Most app developers go through official channels, in part because it’s easier for customers, and in part because the built-in security protections of the Play Store and Apple’s App Store make everyone’s lives a little easier. But Google takes a 30 percent cut of all Play Store sales, so Epic has opted to circumvent it, betting that Fortnite’s popularity will inspire fans to go through the necessary hoops. (The App Store also takes 30 percent off the top, but Apple doesn’t give developers any alternatives to its official sales channel. Google does.)
Anyways, enough backstory! Here are the aforementioned hoops.
First, make sure your phone can handle it. You can see a list of officially supported devices here, but it seems like any midrange or better device from the last couple of years should work.
Next, head to either fortnite.com/android on your Android smartphone, or this page on desktop with a QR code scanner handy. (Since you’ll need to have your phone out either way, maybe just do it all on there.)
