Epic Games announces new store-platform 'to rival Steam' - Because kids playing Fortnite 14 hours a day are likely to be big spenders

[Cactus Wings]

Announcing the Epic Games Store
As developers ourselves, we wanted two things: a store with fair economics, and a direct relationship with players. And we've heard that many of you want this too!

Soon we'll launch the Epic Games store, and begin a long journey to advance the cause of all developers. The store will launch with a hand-curated set of games on PC and Mac, then it will open up more broadly to other games and to Android and other open platforms throughout 2019.

The Epic Games store will operate on the following principles:

All Developers Earn 88%
Developers receive 88% of revenue. There are no tiers or thresholds. Epic takes 12%. And if you’re using Unreal Engine, Epic will cover the 5% engine royalty for sales on the Epic Games store, out of Epic’s 12%.

And then a bunch of anti-Steam shilling, reminding you for the n'th time how much more money you will be making.

The only mention of something pro-consumer as to why you should ditch Steam is a temporary free game every second week. That's it. Everything else is in favor of streamers or developers, not the people who're there to pay 100% of those 88% after all.

Didn't studies show that ease of access makes people more likely to purchase rather than pirate? A 4th game platform client ain't that.

 

[Fish Doctor]

Trying to cash in on their popularity before the Fortnite trend dies maybe?

Either way, no thanks.

 

[The Flawless Gazelles]

steam, battle.net, ea spyware, this ubisoft shit, gog galaxy and now this, for what?

 

[MediocreMilt]

hand-curated set of games on PC and Mac

REEEEE why is Windows synonymous with PC /REEEEE

 

[Clop]

YouTube content creators, Twitch streamers, bloggers, and others are at the leading edge of game discovery.

I keep trying, but I just cannot put into words how utterly cancerous this sentence is, and in so many ways.

 

[ES 148]

REEEEE why is Windows synonymous with PC /REEEEE

Is there anything else?

 

[JosephTX]

Doesn't steam already facilitate devs giving free temporary access to their game?

 

[MediocreMilt]

Is there anything else?

REEEEEEEEEEEEEE

 

[Fish Doctor]

I keep trying, but I just cannot put into words how utterly cancerous this sentence is, and in so many ways.

The most cancerous part is that it's sort of true.

 

[Done]

This is a very strong move IMO, I don't think a lot of you realize how huge these incentives are for devs. You are getting the majority of your game's proceeds, you're getting a carefully-curated store with proximity to the biggest game in the world, and if you go all-in and use their Unreal engine, a very proven and well-supported engine, you get an even larger subsidy from Epic.

If I am a dev, I will at least do a parallel release on the Epic Store, because those benefits are fucking huge and cannot be missed at all. Gaben has a big fight on his hands now.

 

[_Clam_]

I can't wait to get Unreal Tournament Fortnite DLC

 

[Just Some Other Guy]

Well most new games suck anyways, and steam / gog already got me covered on good stuff, so good luck I guess.

 

[Mapo Tofu]

If this turns into Origin 2.0: You will (Not) be happy then I am gonna be surprised

 

[shartshooter]

I absolutely would make purchases through Epic if they give devs 18% more (and it wasn't on GOG). And it benefits consumers for Steam to have competition. Remember how Steam had no return policy before Origin offered one? I'm consistently impressed with how many people act like Valve's shit doesn't stink.

 

[Slap47]

I will trust the company that bans people for stream sniping with my games library.

 

[CIA Nigger]

The problem with more DRM clients (as I like to call them) is the fact that the market standardized on one DRM client. uPlay is full of issues and Origin is even worse because at least most uPlay games show up on Steam as well (with uPlay on top of Steam's DRM of course). The only reason people use those even is because of some big name titles using them such as Battlefield or Rainbow Six Siege. The Windows Store has been a colossal shitshow with games being unable to cross play with the Steam versions most people buy and the same goes with Apple's App Store on the Mac platform.

Steam's also cornered the market for indie dumping grounds as well while itch.io is more oversatured with crap than Google Play is because literally anyone can upload a game there.

The only way Epic can compete with Steam is if they pulled a GOG and did DRM free game releases and GOG's cornered that market as well.

 

[Miller]

Don't they already have a store on the client?

 

[Zaryiu]

steam, battle.net, ea spyware, this ubisoft shit, gog galaxy and now this, for what?

You forgot Discord has their own shop tooq

 

[Alfons Schmitler]

Gaben has a big fight on his hands now.

lolno. Epic has nogames except Fortnite. AA-AAA devs still gonna put their games on steam or force their own clients since the userbase is there and will remain there. So what exactly is gonna sell this Epic Store? Indie early access trashware? Yeah right.

 

[RG 448]

Competing with steam in distribution will turn out exactly as well as Steam trying to enter the console market, except this time I won’t be heartbroken when it fails.