Epic Games working on ways to unlink Fortnite accounts from consoles, merge purchases from the shop

By Essa Kidwell
last updated

Sony is opening up PS4 for cross-play like other platforms.

This year at E3 2018 it was announced that Fortnite is now on the Nintendo Switch. Now you can cross-play with Fortnite on your PC, Switch, Mac, iOS, Xbox, and soon for the PlayStation.

Sony finally caved and said there will soon be a Beta program for PlayStation users to be able to use cross-play abilities across all of the consoles. Users are excited to soon get the chance to play with their friends who own different consoles. But, what does that mean for all your purchases and all the problems with linking your Fornite accounts (like what we've noted below)?

Well, Epic Games gave us a heads up today on Twitter saying they are working on two different things. "1) An account-merging feature to combine Battle Royale purchases, coming in November. 2) Enabling unlinking a console from one Fortnite account, and relinking to another Fortnite account. Coming in a few days." They have since deleted the Tweet, but we caught it for you.

The current system already allows you to unlink and re-link your account. But, when you do, you lose everything. It's nice to know that Epic Games will be fixing the issues on their end just like Sony is on theirs!

If you create a Fortnite account and link it to your PS4, it will not allow you to log in on any other platform besides PC. This means you'll be required to make a separate account to use on another platform. If you are a new player looking to get into Fortnite who intends on using the crossplay options make sure you link your account to anything but your PlayStation.

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Basically, if you want to use the cross-play options then don't link your Epic account to your PlayStation 4. You don't want your account locked to a PC and PlayStation when you have so much more abilities to play with a lot more people by keeping it connected to literally any of your other platforms. On top of this, your PlayStation 4 account purchases don't transfer to your Xbox, Switch or PC accounts. But, if all your friends are playing on PlayStation 4, and you have no intention of linking it to another account, then you have nothing to worry about.

Unlinking your Fortnite account from PlayStation

There are a few warnings we want you to know before you do this. You will lose just about everything connected to your account as you can not carry it from one console to another. These warnings and instructions will work for PSN ID, Nintendo account, Xbox Gamertag, or another external account, not just PlayStation.

  • All of your saved data lives on your Epic account, not your connected account.
  • If you disconnect your PSN ID from the Epic account that is currently connected to, any purchases, stats, and saved data will be lost.
  • Platform Locks on Fortnite cannot be circumvented, even by replacing one connected account with another.

If you've read the warnings and still want to disconnect your PS4 account so that you can connect it to another platform:

  1. Go to your Connected Accounts page.
  2. Click the DISCONNECT button below the external account in question.

Now your account is free to connect to any console you so wish to connect it to.

Update: September 26, 2018: Sony will soon allow cross-play, and Epic Games is going to merge account purchases!

Essa Kidwell
Essa Kidwell

Essa Kidwell is an expert in all things VR and mobile devices who can always be found with an Oculus Go, a Pixel 2, and an iPhone 7+. They've been taking things apart just to put them back together for quite some time. If you've got a troubleshooting issue with any of your tech, they're the one you want to go to! Find them on Twitter @OriginalSluggo or Instagram @CosmeticChronus.

48 Comments
  • Also when considering where to play, people must know that Fortnite Battle Royale (as with other F2P online games) is locked behind the Gold subscription paywall on Xbox. Whereas access to the PS4 version is not locked behind any such paywall.
  • quality over free any day.
  • Thank you for your opinion…I just want everybody to have as much info on access to Fornite Battle Royale as they possibly can. This article clearly & correctly points out the drawbacks to playing the PS4 version. People just need to know the additional cost of play the Xbox One version.
  • "as much info"? Nah.. U are just trying to make Xbox look bad than helping people with something that is generally known. U do know u pay for online gaming on PS now too right? 1 free from paytoplay online game doesn't mean everything is free and u lacked giving info on that :/
  • They're not wrong though.
    When talking Xbox vs PS4 it's Microsoft with the more stable online but Sony does allow any F2P games access outside of PSN. I believe the same goes for subscription model games (I want to say the early days of ESO online had a subscription and Xbox players paid essentially double what PS4 players did because of the Live overhead).
    tl;dr - Fortnite is cheaper on PS4, but you're limited in your pool of other players. PC, Mobile, Switch and Xbox One all play nice together (if they allow matchmaking in their settings)
  • @HalfBlackCanadian
    The thing is that if you play on PS you have potentially a much bigger pool of players to play against. That's because the PS4 does have cross-play with PC and mobile. And there are more PS4 players than Switch and XB1 combined.
  • Just trying to make Xbox look bad? I'm sorry, but was anything I said inaccurate? Just because this article makes PlayStation look bad, doesn't mean its not 100% accurate. That doesn't mean the article writer is trying to make PlayStation look bad, does it? So if the comment I wrote is 100% accurate, then its up to the company to right the wrong…just like in Sony's case.
  • That guy's priority is clearly MS so he'd rather not let information like that be known to the general public.
    It's clear that he cares more about MX/XB than consumers...
  • your info is accurate the fact that it makes Xbox look bad isn't your fault, its Microsoft's. Just hits too close to home for him
  • >Xbox Live
    >Quality
    LMAO
  • This is not even on the same level as the problem at hand.
  • "not even on the same level" is a matter of opinion. Some people might find PlayStation not allowing cross-console play worse than Xbox requiring a Gold subscription. Other's might find the opposite. Either way, both companies are doing wrong when it comes to Fortnite Battle Royale, so both companies need to fix it
  • How is microsoft doing wrong? hint: they arent
  • Question:How is Microsoft doing wrong? Answer: Xbox is the only platform that requires a fee (in the form of Xbox Live Gold subscription) to have access to Fortnite's Free2Play Battle Royale. That is how Microsoft is wrong
  • It's the only platform that works for online. PS4 online play is a mess and why I got rid of mine. No thanks. Take your Sony PR machine elsewhere.
  • The damage control by you guys is crazy.
    It's actually true that it's the only platform that requires people to pay to play free2play games.
    If they do like other platform makers it would be great for xbox owners. But it seem defending a company here is more important to you than us gamers.
    People really need to look at their priorities here.
  • yes it may cost $10 a month for xbl (generally yes its cheaper if u use the year buy method or get a deal) but you get 6 free games a month which combined are generally worth more than that. so yes it costs money but with the free games the actual net worth is free or in some cases the player is getting more net worth back than what they paid. it all comes down to return on investment with Xbox live you get a bigger return than PSN with a better network and free games.
  • Annullator, everything you said is 100% correct. But nothing you said addresses what I'm talking about. Access to Fortnite's Free2Play Battle Royale (and all other F2P games) on Xbox One is locked behind the Gold subscription service. Access to any & all F2P games should not be locked behind any subscription service
  • Actually it's not 100% correct because you don't get 6 free games a month. Plus some of the games aren't yours to keep.
    Also better network is subjective.
  • No... Better network (on Xbox) is FACT! I am a Multi-Certified IT Professional... I know these things. PSN will always lag behind Xbox Live! Unless, Sony caves in some more and jump completely to Azure Server Farms.
  • LOL people on the internet are so funny.
    No, it's not a fact. facts can you proven and you haven't provided a single proof.
  • @argeniszurita
    Every game I got from xbl I either played had or didn't want cause yes I wanna play ****** fallout 4 or sea of Thieves for free if I pay x amount a month Microsoft is so generous NOTTT you must be blinded by Microsoft
  • Everybody I know that owns a PS4 also have PS plus, same goes for Xbox owners having gold. In my case I have both so yes, I rather play fortnight anywhere else than in my PS4 pro (just sharing my opinion)
  • Dupelicate.
  • @uptownsoul. Oh really?
    So requiring ps plus to play online on the ps4 is not locking fortnite and other f2p games behind a paywall?
    PSN online multiplayer is only free on the PS3.
  • @TechFreak1
    You seem confused about what he posted. Here is a link that might help you.
    https://metro.co.uk/2018/04/10/need-ps-plus-xbox-live-gold-play-fortnite... I guess it's not on a site like windowscentral that you'll get this kind of information.
  • Fortnite doesn't require PS+ to play online.
  • And Sony is f*cking everything up again 😁
  • I've seen a few posts on twitter from people who already un-linked their PS4 accounts and still cannot play on the switch version. Granted, that was when the switch version went live and may have been fixed (seriously, that seems like a server side issue more than anything) Also, doesn't "All of your saved data lives on your Epic account, not your connected account." and
    "If you disconnect your PSN ID from the Epic account that is currently connected to, any purchases, stats, and saved data will be lost." contradict each other? While your data may live there, it seems to move out when the link is broken. Wasn't fortnite the game that "accidentally" went cross platform between xbox/ps4 over a weekend not too long ago? Even if you can't play versus other platforms, allowing your stats should be allowed. I blame sony on this 100%. MS and Nintendo seem to be onboard with cross platform play and it truly is a win "for the gamers" as opposed to sony's "for our gamers only" mentality.
  • All information regarding disconnecting accounts can be found here: https://fortnitehelp.epicgames.com/customer/en/portal/articles/2535021-how-do-i-disconnect-my-psn-id-xbox-gamertag-or-other-external-account-from-my-epic-account- I don't like it either, trust me.
  • Could you initially link to PC, then unlink from PSN? Would that retain the stats as you still have a platform associated with the game?
  • Sony is being THAT kid at a party but isn't partying with the rest, and is just standing there in the middle being awkwardly still. just saying but if PlayStation fans want to join in with the rest. they should be WAYYY more vocal and active to get it done and push soy over the line. using the past and Sony's ''Account safety'' excuse is BS at this point. the demand is bigger than that.
  • Right now, PS4 players can play with potentially much more people than XB1 or switch players.
    Also PS4 does a lot more crossplay with non-Sony platform than MS with non-MS platforms.
  • Not sure if I read it right, but when I linked my epic/xbox account over to pc, I'm pretty sure all my progress and special edition bonuses transferred over.
  • It's the consoles that cause the issue. If your Xbox account was the one that setup the Epic account, then you're pretty screwed if you unlink your Xbox account.
  • Well I don't plan on unlinking my account and I don't have a PS4 so I guess I'm fine.
  • It's funny how Sony wants to hide behind "protecting our player's security" when Nintendo is all aboard. I mean, Nintendo had Friends Codes for so long because they were afraid of the internet, and they seem to feel this is okay.
    Then again, I guess after the PS3 fiasco with ID theft they probably don't want to take any chances by opening themselves up to...whatever they're opening themselves up to with Switch and Xbox crossplay. smh
  • No, it's abot the fact that XBOX have BUBG, and with crossplay ppl don't need to choose if they want to play PUBG as well, or Fortnite with PS4 friends.
  • Sony's stubbornness with crossplay came before PUBG/Fortnite. Minecraft and Rocket League were the first games announced and was the point that Sony folded their arms and turned their backs.
  • It's because Sony has very little profitable business anymore outside of PlayStation. If its players don't HAVE to stick to PlayStation, then they won't. But what this kind of shenanigans actually does is make people look twice and think "you know, my friends play on Xbox/Nintendo, I've a better chance of joining them if I avoid Sony."
  • exactly that! ^^
  • Not really, their main business has been and always will be insurance. They don't need their electronic departments to make money to comfortably continue. Playstation ran in the red for decades, its probably back in the red by now.
  • So much for Greatness awaits. Not so great when your other friends with switch and Xbox are playing together and you're not.
  • PS4 does a lot more crossplay with non-Sony platform than MS with non-MS platforms.
    Right now, PS4 players can play with potentially much more people than XB1 or switch players.
  • Fortnite is overrated. Not much skill goes into it especially the shooting.
  • The quality of the game is irrelevant and also subjective. Fortnite is the hottest game on earth right now. We've been here before with Minecraft and Rocket League. Everyone else is playing together, Sony's kids are in the corner on their own. It's pretty terrible, tbh.
  • Well, Sony's kids have potentially a lot more people to play against than MS's or Nintendo's kids.
    Unlike what you are trying to say they are not alone in their corner, because it has cross-play.
    I understand that you guys are pro-MS and everything. But let's not forget that the PS4 has a lot more cross-play with non-Sony platforms than MS with non-MS platform.
    So if you are going to complain about Sony why not complain about MS more? You guys are XB users so doesn't their lack of cross-play affecting XB gamers more than what Sony is doing?
  • Guys its okay chill everyone knows Xbone sucks and ps4 is the best console god of war and Spider-Man proved that alone... couldnt tell you how many butthurt Xbox fans there were that they couldn't play those games.... but anyways this is about epic and can us ps4 users just sit back and appreciate the fact that epic won't let you switch from one PSN account to a new psn account oh wait THATS ALL SYSTEMS