Fortnite is now available in closed beta for all supported Android devices

Samsung’s exclusive period for the Android version of Epic’s Fortnite appears to already be over.

A closed beta for the Android version of the popular battle royale game is now available directly through Epic’s website, though the game is also still available through Samsung’s Game Centre app. While the beta for the Android version of Fortnite has now launched, as it stands right now it remains closed and invite-only.

That said, it is possible to sign-up for the closed beta’s waiting list, as long as you have a supported Android device.

At Samsung’s recent Note 9 launch event in New York City, Epic’s CEO Tim Sweeney took to the stage to confirm that Fortnite was making its way to Android, but only on Samsung devices — with the studio making an exclusive skin available to Note 9 owners.

Further, rather than list the game through Google’s Play store, which takes a 30 percent cut from all transactions, Epic has opted to make Fortnite’s APK available directly on its website. Last week app analytics firm Sensor Tower released a study that stated Google will lose up to $50 million USD in 2018 due to Epic circumventing the Play Store.

While a relatively small number for a massive tech giant like Google, Epic opting for this strategy sets a dangerous precedent when it comes to the relevance of the Play Store.

This cuts Google out from the equation but is also inherently more risky since it opens up the opportunity for fake versions of the game full of malware.