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$50 Million Is How Much Google Is Missing Out On With Fortnite Skipping Google Play

Fortnite for Android bypasses the Google Play store and that means Google is missing out on a big chunk of change.

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The immensely popular battle royale game Fortnite is finally out on Android, but its release on the platform is anything from traditional. Developer Epic Games decided to bypass the official Google Play store and instead offer the game exclusively through its website.

According to a report from SensorTower, Google is missing out on $50 million or more in fees as a result of this decision. Fortnite for iOS launched back in March and has made more than $180 million so far, according to the data company. Apple gets 30 percent of in-app purchases, which means the company has made around $54 million off the game.

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Now Playing: Fortnite Android Beta Coming Today, But Exclusive To Samsung Devices For A Few Days - GS News Update

SensorTower expects Fortnite's Android revenue performance to be similar, which is how the company arrived at the $50 million-plus figure. There are some concerns that the unconventional method by which Android users have to get the game may hurt downloads and in turn revenue, but SensorTower says that won't be "to a large enough degree as to affect its revenue potential in the long run."

You can go to Epic's website and download the game for Android. However, if you're hoping to play the game on Android, you'll need to have a newer handset, as Epic says the game requires a "recent high-end Android smartphone."

The App Store for iOS is a more closed ecosystem, so Epic was not able to circumvent it in the way that it has been able to with Android.

For lots more on Fortnite, check out GameSpot's new feature, "The Fortnite Spray And Pray Meta Is A Problem" in which Richard Wakeling talks about how shooting has changed in the game and why it's not ideal.

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