What you need to know
- Fortnite can now be played on any device with a supported internet browser via the Xbox Cloud Gaming service.
- All you'll need is a Microsoft account. No subscription required.
- Fortnite will also be launching on Nvidia GeForce Now in the near future.
If you've been holding off on playing Fortnite on mobile because of the requirement to sideload — or, in the case of iOS, no way at all to install the game — then your patience has paid off. Microsoft just launched Fortnite on the Xbox Cloud Gaming service for free, and all you'll need is a device with some kind of display, a connection to the internet, and a Microsoft account.
Microsoft made the announcement via a blog post, explaining that Epic's landmark free-to-play battle royale title was finally available on Microsoft's cloud gaming service. All you'll need to do is head to the Xbox Cloud Gaming site and tap the green play button. Fortnite on Xbox Cloud Gaming supports both touch and controller input, so you can play any way that's most convenient. That also means you can finally play at the best visual settings, even on phones that normally aren't powerful enough to run Fortnite natively.
An Nvidia spokesperson confirmed to The Verge in a Tweet that Fortnite is also coming to the GeForce Now gaming service. Both are among the best game streaming apps available and will give you a great experience. The assumed advantage of Microsoft's implementation, as far as we know, is that you won't need a subscription in order to play Fortnite. Normally, access to either Xbox Cloud Gaming or GeForce Now would require a separate subscription to the platform.
Note that, since this is a cloud-streamed game, you'll want to ensure you have a fast, reliable internet connection. Otherwise, you could encounter some stuttering or other issues that standard on-device games normally wouldn't have. Being able to play without having to download the game is a huge advantage for many who might not have powerful enough devices to run the game, not enough storage to install it, or don't want to sideload the Fortnite app from the Epic Games store.
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