Fortnite is one of the most popular Battle Royales on every platform, PC and console. But console versions of free-to-play titles can get complicated, they’re not always as free as they are on PC. Lots of players probably wonder do you need Xbox Live to play Fortnite? This subscription is necessary to play certain games on the Xbox, so can you access the Battle Royale without paying and do you need Xbox Live to play Fortnite with friends?
While it might be free to play, it’s not always clear if these games are actually entirely free on other platforms. Although, Epic’s game is relatively widely available to all without a subscription, with even the last few holders switching to making it entirely free lately. This is what you need to know about Xbox Live and Fortnite.
Do You Need Xbox Live to Play Fortnite?
You don’t need Xbox Live to play Fortnite online. On pretty much every platform, you can jump in and play the game entirely for free! What’s more, you can use crossplay to join up with friends on other platforms too. it hasn’t always been the case though.
Originally, you needed access to Xbox Live membership to play the game. Even though Fortnite Battle Royale has always been free to play, Xbox kept the online section as part of the online subscription until April 2021. The reversal was a pretty big bit of Fortnite news at the time, console players could now play for free even with cross-play on other platforms.
You could join the fun in Save the World, the original version of Fortnite. However, the Battle Royale spin-off of the game was locked behind a subscription service. Since then, Xbox has changed things. You can now enjoy free-to-play games without having to use a subscription to Xbox Live. If you’re wondering do you need Xbox Live to play Fortnite the answer is a clear no. Great news, as no one wants to pay a subscription for a free game, no matter how much time you’ve spent on Fortnite.
Do You Need Xbox Live to Play Fortnite with Friends?
Friends and matchmaking for parties in Fortnite are done using Epic’s own account system. If you’re wondering do you need Xbox Live to play Fortnite with friends, then the answer is no. You can play with friends on Xbox or any other platform provided they’re on your Epic friend list.
Do You Need Xbox Live to Stream Fortnite?
Unlike some other console platforms, Microsoft offers Fortnite in more ways than just on the console. The game is part of the Xbox Cloud Gaming platform. This is a system where players can stream games to other devices, a rare chance to play Fortnite on a mobile device despite the ban. It can be a convenient way to play your favourite games even outside of your games console. This is a slightly more premium tier though, so do you need Xbox Live to play Fortnite through cloud gaming?
Players can use Fortnite on Xbox Cloud Gaming, and you don’t need an Xbox Live subscription to do this either! On Xbox, you can play free-to-play games and use other features like streaming all for free. This is a pretty generous system and one of the benefits of using the Microsoft console. For all Fortnite seasons, at least since it’s been offered, this is a free way to play on different platforms.
Fortnite on Xbox
Fortnite can be a lot of fun on consoles. With new gens and Chapter 4, the game looks more impressive than ever on any platform. While you can play for free, it’s not like an Xbox Live subscription is how to get free v-bucks though! So if you want to pick up sins or the Battle Pass, there are still some things you’ve got to splash out on even if you don’t have to have Xbox Live to play Fortnite.