Epic Games is continuing its push toward a more connected social experience by rolling out a new cross-platform text chat feature across multiple parts of its ecosystem. Announced on December 19, 2025, the update allows players to keep conversations going across Fortnite, the Epic Games Store, and newly launched Epic Games mobile apps on iOS, with additional platforms set to follow in early 2026.
A Step Toward a Unified Epic Social Layer
The new text chat system is designed to synchronize conversations wherever players are logged in, reducing friction between devices and platforms. Messages and group chats from the last 30 days are available across supported Epic services, allowing players to move between games and apps without losing their conversation history. According to Epic Games, this update supports its broader goal of creating a unified social layer that connects nearly one billion users across its ecosystem.
While text chat is currently available on Fortnite, the Epic Games Store, and Epic’s iOS apps, Epic has confirmed that support for the Epic Games Launcher and Android apps will arrive in January. This staged rollout reflects Epic’s wider strategy of gradually integrating social features across its platforms rather than limiting them to individual games.
How Text Chat Works Across Games and Apps
Access to text chat is handled through Epic’s social interface, where players can send messages, manage friend requests, and adjust communication settings. In Fortnite, conversations are integrated directly into gameplay through a new “Chats” tab in the sidebar, ensuring consistency with how players interact socially outside the game.
On mobile, Epic offers two separate app options on iOS. The Epic Games app is available through the App Store, while the Epic Games Store app can be downloaded directly from Epic. Both support the new text chat system, enabling players to stay connected even when they are away from their console or PC.
Expansion Beyond Epic’s Own Games
Epic Games has confirmed that the text chat feature will expand beyond its flagship titles next year. Rocket League and Fall Guys are scheduled to receive support, and developers using Epic Online Services’ Social Overlay will also gain access to the feature. This opens the door for third-party games to adopt the same communication tools, extending Epic’s social infrastructure well beyond its own catalog.
The move aligns with Epic’s ongoing investment in services that support multiplayer and social features across a range of games, including those experimenting with live-service models and web3-adjacent systems that emphasize persistent identity and cross-platform access.
Safety Tools and Parental Controls
Alongside the expanded chat functionality, Epic has emphasized moderation and safety. Players can report messages that may violate Epic’s Community Rules directly from group chats or direct messages using an in-chat reporting option. For accounts involving players under the age of 18, text reporting is always enabled by default.
Epic’s existing Parental Controls continue to apply across all platforms where text chat is available. Parents and guardians can manage communication permissions from a single set of controls, ensuring consistent restrictions regardless of where a child accesses Epic’s services.
What This Means for Epic’s Ecosystem
The rollout of cross-platform text chat marks another step in Epic Games’ efforts to blur the lines between its games, store, and apps. Rather than treating social features as game-specific tools, Epic is positioning them as account-level services that follow players wherever they go. As more games and developers adopt Epic Online Services, this approach could make Epic’s social layer a more central part of the PC, console, and mobile gaming landscape.
Source: Epic Games
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What platforms currently support Epic Games text chat?
Text chat is currently available across Fortnite, the Epic Games Store, and Epic Games mobile apps on iOS, with support for the Epic Games Launcher and Android apps coming soon.
Will text chat be added to more Epic Games titles?
Yes. Epic Games has confirmed that Rocket League and Fall Guys will receive text chat support in 2026.
Can third-party games use Epic’s text chat system?
Developers using Epic Online Services’ Social Overlay will be able to integrate text chat into their games, extending the feature beyond Epic-owned titles.
How does Epic handle moderation and reporting?
Players can report messages directly from chats, and text reporting is always enabled for conversations involving players under 18.
Do parental controls apply across all devices?
Yes. Epic’s Parental Controls apply consistently across all platforms where Epic text chat is available, allowing guardians to manage communication settings from a single system.
