Is Fortnite Available on Steam? Everything to Know
Fortnite is one of gaming's longest-running success stories, continuously evolving with map updates, high-profile collaborations, and special events that keep players coming back. While the battle royale giant maintains availability across numerous platforms, including PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices, many PC gamers specifically wonder about accessing the game through various digital storefronts.
PC players often question whether they can download and play Fortnite through Steam, the most popular digital distribution platform for computer games. This creates confusion for newcomers looking to join the millions already dropping into Fortnite's ever-changing world.
In this article, we'll address Fortnite's availability across different PC storefronts and directly answer the key question about its presence on Steam, helping you understand exactly where and how to access this massively popular game on your computer.
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Where to Download Fortnite on PC
Fortnite is not available on Steam. The game can only be downloaded through the Epic Games Launcher, as Epic Games (Fortnite's developer) distributes it exclusively through its own platform.
Epic Games made the strategic decision to keep Fortnite exclusive to their launcher to promote their client instead of sharing revenue with Steam. This exclusivity helps Epic maintain complete control over the game's distribution and updates while avoiding Steam's commission fees.
Many PC gamers prefer Steam's ecosystem for its features like achievement tracking, community forums, and a unified game library. Epic Games Launcher requires minimal system resources and provides direct access to Fortnite's latest version, along with other Epic Games titles and free weekly game offerings. Thankfully, there are workarounds for those who want to access Fortnite through Steam.
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How to Play Fortnite on Steam
Fortnite can be played through Steam, but only as a launcher shortcut - you won't get Steam achievements, trading cards, or other platform-specific features. The game still runs through Epic Games in the background.
To add Fortnite to your Steam library:
Launch Steam
On the bottom left corner, click on "Add a Game."
Select "Add a Non-Steam Game."
Find Fortnite through the available applications, or click "Browse" and select the game through its folder
Click on "Add Selected Programs."
After adding Fortnite to Steam, you can customize its appearance by right-clicking it in your library and adding custom artwork, backgrounds, and logos to match your other Steam games.
This method simply creates a convenient shortcut within Steam's interface. When launched, the Epic Games Launcher will still run in the background as Fortnite requires it for authentication and updates. Your game progress, purchases, and account details remain tied to your Epic Games account.
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Final Words
Fortnite remains exclusive to the Epic Games Store on PC with no official Steam release. While you can add it to your Steam library as a non-Steam game, this only creates a launcher shortcut without Steam's features. Epic Games continues to maintain this exclusivity to promote its platform and avoid Steam's revenue-sharing model. For PC players, downloading directly from Epic Games remains the primary and most straightforward way to access Fortnite.
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