4 ms·

What is Epic's offer?

olah_1 7y ago
For customers: Free games all the time. For developers: A huge lump sum of cash (although this certainly won't continue forever)
mikepurvis 7y ago
88/12 revenue split vs Steam's 70/30. But you also get more visibility from being on a less crowded, less junky storefront. And although it's unlikely to continue too much longer, Epic has set an interesting precedent with funding $10-off coupons during sales out of their own pocket. If you're at the classic $15-25 indie game price point, there's a nice possibility there for your customer to get $10 off and you to still get your full cut.
- ocdtrekkie 7y ago
  And all of that is before you mention their incentives for timed exclusive launches, which I believe often amounts to a revenue guarantee on your projected sales, and I think they deliver it up front. So a cash-strapped game developer can go into the final stages of their game launch pre-paid and knowing they're already fiscally on track before it's even out. For indies that's a no-brainer.
  - KapKap55 7y ago
    Interesting phrasing, as indies aren't getting onto the storefront at all without accepting timed exclusivity. It's not an option that can be taken, it is mandatory to be on the storefront unless you have enough clout to tell Epic to shove it (CDProjekt Red). That's assuming of course that Epic chooses to accept your game in the first place. My major issue with discussions regarding the EGS is that everyone discussing it talks as if every developer has access to what it's offering, which is not the case even in the slightest.
    - mikepurvis 7y ago
      Maybe not the exclusivity part, but it being a curated platform is very much a win from the consumer's point of view. Being good enough to be on the EGS actually means something in an age when anyone can ship their garbage on Steam or itch.io or any number of smaller storefronts.
      - AnIdiotOnTheNet 7y ago
        Speak for yourself, I happen to like the idea that there isn't some arbitrary gate keeper determining what is and isn't good enough to be on their store. I'll decide what is worth my money thank you very much.
        mikepurvis 7y ago
        Sure, and Steam exists for that. But that's also why it's clogged with thousands of shovelware GameMaker titles, porn games, and downright scams. Discovery on Steam is completely broken. The EGS is much more akin to a console ecosystem. You don't have to use it, except perhaps for the occasional exclusive. But lots of people feel that there is value there.
    - ocdtrekkie 7y ago
      The timed exclusive offering is a great option for indie developers, and the fact that so many have taken it seems to reflect that. My understanding is that right now Epic's submission pipeline is very manual, there's not a lot of self-servicing. So they are focused on submissions which move the needle the most for Epic: Exclusives, free titles (also available to indies), and then AAA games. I believe they've suggested the wider release of EGS for more developers should be sometime this year.
- baud147258 7y ago
  On the other hand, because of the curation, niche games can't really get on Epic, so we can only get those on Steam (or GOG for some). But yeah, discoverability is pretty bad on Steam, I don't think I've ever browsed the shop to look for games to buy, I always arrived to the store either to buy or check a game.
staz 7y ago
Taking game that worked under Linux and making them unable to run
- fartcannon 7y ago
  I think they call this getting Sweeney'd.
blackearl 7y ago
On reddit mention of the Epic Game Store brings out rabid haters. I know it's not as fully featured as Steam, has made some questionable moves (refund policies, sales without informing devs), and has quite a large stake owned by Tencent. But then I hear that devs are getting cash up front and a bigger cut (I think it's like 85% compared to Steam's 70%) of profits. I'm happy that a developer may not need to crunch, or at least possibly not worry that if the game doesn't sell they'll be bankrupted. I'd really like GOG to get a little better about this considering how great Galaxy 2.0 is and their general "No DRM" policy. It would become my default but Steam is still king for now
- backupcavalry 7y ago
  Given Epic's behaviour and reactions to people bringing up their flaws I wouldn't be surprised if they pull the carpet out beneath the devs' feet as soon as they think they have the market cornered. Right now they're slinging Fortnite money around everywhere to try to resolve all their problems but that's not a good way to earn trust.
ekimekim 7y ago
Forcing you into their ecosystem (if you're lucky enough to run an OS they support) by giving the devs wads of cash.

For customers: Free games all the time. For developers: A huge lump sum of cash (although this certainly won't continue forever)

mikepurvis 7y ago

88/12 revenue split vs Steam's 70/30. But you also get more visibility from being on a less crowded, less junky storefront. And although it's unlikely to continue too much longer, Epic has set an interesting precedent with funding $10-off coupons during sales out of their own pocket. If you're at the classic $15-25 indie game price point, there's a nice possibility there for your customer to get $10 off and you to still get your full cut.

ocdtrekkie 7y ago
And all of that is before you mention their incentives for timed exclusive launches, which I believe often amounts to a revenue guarantee on your projected sales, and I think they deliver it up front. So a cash-strapped game developer can go into the final stages of their game launch pre-paid and knowing they're already fiscally on track before it's even out. For indies that's a no-brainer.
- KapKap55 7y ago
  Interesting phrasing, as indies aren't getting onto the storefront at all without accepting timed exclusivity. It's not an option that can be taken, it is mandatory to be on the storefront unless you have enough clout to tell Epic to shove it (CDProjekt Red). That's assuming of course that Epic chooses to accept your game in the first place. My major issue with discussions regarding the EGS is that everyone discussing it talks as if every developer has access to what it's offering, which is not the case even in the slightest.
  - mikepurvis 7y ago
    Maybe not the exclusivity part, but it being a curated platform is very much a win from the consumer's point of view. Being good enough to be on the EGS actually means something in an age when anyone can ship their garbage on Steam or itch.io or any number of smaller storefronts.
    - AnIdiotOnTheNet 7y ago
      Speak for yourself, I happen to like the idea that there isn't some arbitrary gate keeper determining what is and isn't good enough to be on their store. I'll decide what is worth my money thank you very much.
      - mikepurvis 7y ago
        Sure, and Steam exists for that. But that's also why it's clogged with thousands of shovelware GameMaker titles, porn games, and downright scams. Discovery on Steam is completely broken. The EGS is much more akin to a console ecosystem. You don't have to use it, except perhaps for the occasional exclusive. But lots of people feel that there is value there.
  - ocdtrekkie 7y ago
    The timed exclusive offering is a great option for indie developers, and the fact that so many have taken it seems to reflect that. My understanding is that right now Epic's submission pipeline is very manual, there's not a lot of self-servicing. So they are focused on submissions which move the needle the most for Epic: Exclusives, free titles (also available to indies), and then AAA games. I believe they've suggested the wider release of EGS for more developers should be sometime this year.
baud147258 7y ago
On the other hand, because of the curation, niche games can't really get on Epic, so we can only get those on Steam (or GOG for some). But yeah, discoverability is pretty bad on Steam, I don't think I've ever browsed the shop to look for games to buy, I always arrived to the store either to buy or check a game.

staz 7y ago

Taking game that worked under Linux and making them unable to run

fartcannon 7y ago
I think they call this getting Sweeney'd.

blackearl 7y ago

On reddit mention of the Epic Game Store brings out rabid haters. I know it's not as fully featured as Steam, has made some questionable moves (refund policies, sales without informing devs), and has quite a large stake owned by Tencent. But then I hear that devs are getting cash up front and a bigger cut (I think it's like 85% compared to Steam's 70%) of profits. I'm happy that a developer may not need to crunch, or at least possibly not worry that if the game doesn't sell they'll be bankrupted. I'd really like GOG to get a little better about this considering how great Galaxy 2.0 is and their general "No DRM" policy. It would become my default but Steam is still king for now

backupcavalry 7y ago
Given Epic's behaviour and reactions to people bringing up their flaws I wouldn't be surprised if they pull the carpet out beneath the devs' feet as soon as they think they have the market cornered. Right now they're slinging Fortnite money around everywhere to try to resolve all their problems but that's not a good way to earn trust.

ekimekim 7y ago

Forcing you into their ecosystem (if you're lucky enough to run an OS they support) by giving the devs wads of cash.