Fortnite finally wins twice as Google bows to Epic and Windows on ARM becomes gaming-ready

Hey gamers. Fortnite just dropped a double whammy that will change not only the app economy but also the fate of gaming hardware. Google is making big changes to the Play Store following the settlement with Epic Games, and Fortnite now runs natively with full support on Windows on ARM hardware. For players it means more choice on how they pay and where they play.

Google settles with Epic, ending multi-year battle

Google has reached a settlement with Epic, putting an end to a long-standing conflict. The clash has been building since 2020, when Epic began to fight back against app store policies that require developers in many cases to pay a fee to utilize the app store and Google’s payment system, referred to as middlemen. The battle escalated when Fortnite was removed from the app store, and players then had a direct, cheaper option to pay for in-game purchases for Fortnite immediately after.

On November 5, 2025, Google offered a settlement that would bring clarity and open the Android app ecosystem in the US by allowing developers the ability to utilize their payment systems when possible and promote those payment systems in their apps with the assurance that their apps would not be removed from the Play Store or suffer other consequences.

Assuming the plan is finalized, the settlement agreement represents a major development for developers who have long been requesting fairer app store practices. For gamers it could lead to more competitive pricing and better information when people purchase on the app store. For Google, it could signal a step towards less strict control of in-app purchases or payments and further in the direction of a global agreement on digital fairness.

While the agreement does not affect Apple’s App Store, it could increase regulatory pressure on other platform holders to follow suit.

Fortnite hits a milestone on Windows on ARM

While Google was getting dragged through the courts, Fortnite was proving it still holds the cards on the tech front. And on November 6, 2025, Windows Latest confirmed that the game now runs perfectly smoothly on Windows on ARM laptops, which are powered by that new Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip.

This makes it official: ARM-powered Windows devices that used to get dismissed as being good for battery life but nothing more are now more than capable of handling serious gaming. And the numbers don't lie. Fortnite delivers beautiful, silky-smooth frame rates and seriously impresses with its stability on ARM-based systems. But how did they manage it? mainly thanks to some smart DirectX 12 optimization and native ARM64 support in Unreal Engine that just happened to fall into place.

So for users, this means that you can now get a laptop that's not only lighter and cooler but is also seriously efficient and will still handle real-world gaming with ease. And that's just the start of how ARM architecture might be ready to give traditional x86 PCs a run for their money in both the performance and portability stakes.

We're still talking about a long way to go before these things can match a console in terms of power, but right now they're delivering performance that's on a par with console games in lighter titles such as Fortnite. That makes them perfect for students, creatives, and your average casual gamer who just wants a laptop that can keep up with their needs without needing to be plugged in all the time.

What it all means for players and developers

It's clear that it's all change for the gaming world; both players and developers are going to benefit from this shift.

• A fairer deal for developers: They can now make a bit more cash from their apps, since they no longer need to go through the store to take payment.

• Players have more control: Expect to see lower prices, clearer payment options, and a whole lot less confusion about how things work.

• Portable gaming that really means it: Now you can get a laptop that balances out performance, efficiency, and design in a way that really meets your needs.

• Cross-platform gaming future: Games like Fortnite can now serve up an identical experience across your phone, a console, and a laptop. Which has to be a win.

Epic Games has just demonstrated once again that they're a true change-maker. They were the ones who first fought for cross-play between consoles, and now they're changing the way Android handles payments and how Windows handles gaming on ARM.

The big picture

These changes are signaling a new era in digital evolution, as Google’s changes may set a new standard for global fairness in app stores, and Microsoft is supporting ARM hardware so we can have seamless gaming across devices. For developers this means more audience with fewer restrictions. For gamers this means true freedom to play anywhere and on any platform without having to sacrifice quality. Fortnite has done more than just entertain; it has forced the biggest tech companies to adapt to player-first ecosystems.

The bottom line

By November 2025 we will have court approval for Google’s settlement, and Windows on ARM gaming will be official. Either way, they both point to one thing: the gaming ecosystem is going to open up. The walls around the platforms are coming down, and the power is shifting to who should be at the center of it all: the players.

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