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‘Fortnite’ is now available for free to all iOS users, coming to Android soon

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Fortnite Battle Royale - Mobile Reveal Trailer

Epic Games’ smash-hit game Fortnite recently came to iOS devices via a closed beta test, but it wasn’t available to the general public. That changed today, as Fortnite is now available for free to all iOS users — provided your device is new enough.

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As long as you’re using an iPhone SE, iPhone 6S, or newer model phone, you will be able to run Fortnite. The game does not support older phones, including both the iPhone 6 and the 6 Plus, so you will finally need to make an upgrade if you have your heart set on playing the game while on the go. The game hasn’t yet arrived for Android devices, but it will be doing so “within the next few months,” according to the game’s website.

Fortnite on mobile devices offers the exact same Fortnite: Battle Royale experience you get on consoles and PC, but with touchscreen controls. They are quite similar to the virtual thumbsticks and buttons in PUBG Mobile, with dedicated options for aiming your weapon, crouching, and jumping.

The main difference between the mobile version of Fortnite and PUBG Mobile, however, is that Fortnite supports cross-play with other platforms. Whether your friends are playing on PC, Mac, Xbox One, or PlayStation 4, you will be able to play with them — and get destroyed. Any progress you made in the other versions will also transfer over to the mobile game. The only platforms that cannot play with each other are Xbox One and PlayStation, though this was very briefly enabled in 2017 by mistake.

The mobile game looks almost identical to its big siblings, with a smooth framerate and great draw distance for scoping our where to land from your parachute. The footage included in the launch trailer was captured on an iPhone X, but we tested the game on an iPhone 8 and found it to run with similar results.

Fortnite is now available for iOS, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, and Mac. The “Battle Royale” mode is free, while access to the original player-versus-environment content is available via a paid “Founder’s Pack.” Only Battle Royale is available on iOS. Its main competition, PUBG Mobile, available for free on both iOS and Android right now, as well.

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Gabe Gurwin
Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
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