Do You Need Xbox Live for Fortnite?

Good news!

No, you do not need Xbox Live Gold to play Fortnite on Xbox. As of April 2021, Microsoft made significant changes to its Xbox Live Gold policy, allowing free-to-play games like Fortnite to be played without requiring an Xbox Live Gold subscription. This means that you can download and play Fortnite on your Xbox console without any additional subscription fees beyond what you already pay for internet access.

This change applies to all Xbox consoles, including the Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S.

If you plan to play other online multiplayer games that are not free-to-play, or if you want to access other Xbox Live Gold benefits, like monthly free games and exclusive discounts, you would still need a subscription. But for Fortnite, you’re good to go without one!