Fortnite Android: Crossplaying on the Go
Thanks to prevailing tech trends, connectivity has become an integral part in many facets of our lives. That, of course, includes gaming. And in this particular industry, we see it in the form of cross-platform play, AKA crossplay. Many games already have this function, including the popular builder-shooter Fortnite. This is true for all versions of Fortnite, including the upcoming Fortnite Android.
Exclusive But Not Really
We understand that you’re too caught up in Fortnite to be bothered to read news about it, so news flash: yes, the game is coming to Android. But to download it, you’ll have to go to the official site. You’ll never find it on Google Play, as Epic Games didn’t put it there because they believe Google’s 30% sales cut is a bit too high. When your game’s the biggest online game right now, it’s a smart financial move.
Also, you’ll need a bit of patience, as Fortnite’s so-called “official” release is actually the game’s “exclusive” release on the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 for one month. But if you’re easily hyped and don’t mind buying a $1000, or if you’re going to buy one in the first place anyway, go right ahead.
On the other hand, if you don’t want to buy a flagship smartphone and can’t wait either, try your luck with the game’s open beta. However, before you do, make sure to check if your device is supported by the Fortnite Mobile beta. You can find the list on the official site. And in case you weren’t so lucky and didn’t get picked for the beta, then all you can do is just wait until the release date. Don’t go to shady sites or follow links on YouTube video descriptions that claim to have Fortnite Mobile installers; they’re chock full of malware. Be warned!
Lastly, beta or not, Samsung or otherwise, don’t expect a stellar performance. Even Samsung Galaxy Note 9, one of the most high-end phones on the market, doesn’t run the game very well. In a side-by-side comparison with Nintendo Switch, the latter is leaps above the smartphone. There’s hardly any surprise there despite Switch having the weakest hardware among the current-gen consoles.
Getting Around the Console War
Nevertheless, despite its technological inferiority, Android will definitely give the game much reach, especially to strictly mobile gamers that have wanted to play Fortnite for quite some time now. Plus, Fortnite Android crossplay has a rather large player pool, as it lets its players connect those using PC, iOS, and console players. Still, there’s no playing with PS4 users while you’re with Switch and Xbox One players and vice versa. You can thank Sony for that.
Sony shouldn’t just keep things on their side of the fence the way they are, especially when crossplay is the way to go in the future of online gaming. Sure, they have the lead now and therefore enough confidence to not have cross-play and still turn up a profit, but building a gaming world of tomorrow today should be more important than money.
That’s alright though because even without the PS4 players you still have a pretty large player base you can share with. Plus, even if one of your friends is a PS4 main and the squad would like to play together, all of you can still play. He or she just has to get on Fortnite Android, that is.
It’s safe to say that there are millions of Android users across the globe. Now imagine millions of new players on Fortnite because the game is finally available to a very common platform. Then there’s the cherry on top: crossplay. Looks like Epic Games got a winning combination right there, and it’s in the palm of everybody’s hand.
This article was first published in gamershaven.quora.com
