Epic Games Store - the console war comes to PC

[cosmicray]

It still attracts huge audience. 20+ millions sold is probably big enough to attract quite a diverse gaming crowd which overlaps with Steam quite a bit. I'm not sure why you think it overlaps that much with Fortnite, which is F2P and a current fad, which RDR2 probably just a highly advertised 'classic' blockbuster game. It's also a sequel for a very successful game from previous console generation.

I wonder when will this stop. Is Epic gonna grab most of the big titles coming to PC? Should be interesting.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

It's still attracts huge audience. 20+ millions sold is probably big enough to attract quite a diverse gaming crowd which overlaps with Steam quite a bit. I'm not sure why you think it overlaps that much with Fortnite, which is F2P and a current fad, which RDR2 probably just a highly advertised 'classic' blockbuster game. It's also a sequel for a very successful game from previous console generation.

On Steam, the majority of games are owned by a tiny minority of players. Most users only own a handful of games.
If you aren't selling FIFA 20XY reskin or some AAA blockbuster, your potential market is incredibly tiny.
Gerrard is largely correct in that simply attracting people to your storefront is not enough.

 

[Drakron]

So let me get this straight - Epic is co-owned by a Chinese megacorp but EGS isn't available in China? That sounds like another Epic fail.

Chinese laws require then to use a Chinese partner so Epic cannot directly sell in the Chinese market as it needs a Chinese middleman making the EGS redundant or illegal, even if there was a EGS in China it would have to be operated by a Chinese company.

In other news - RDR2 is rumored to also be an exclusive.

Would not surprise me since its Take 2 and have pushed their games as EGS exclusives with Borderlands 3 and The Outer Worlds.

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

In other news - RDR2 is rumored to also be an exclusive.

Looked it up since that one actually does interest me. Apparently the source of the leak was on 4chan though so it seems pretty reasonable to think it's bullshit until something more concrete comes out.

"The post claims that Take-Two Interactive, the publisher of GTA/RDR inked a deal with Epic that would see them take 100% of the profits from any additional content for RDR2, compared to the 30% cut that Steam takes."
That also kinda smells like bullshit to me, because while you can buy "Shark cash cards" on Steam for GTA5, physical shark cash cards shouldn't filter back to Gaben (Since as mentioned non-Steam Steam keys don't give Valve money) and I don't know if they have the option to buy them in-game via the Rockstar client shit or not. Still, I'd actually be really disappointed if RDR2 ends up Epic exclusive since that would probably be prohibitively large when it comes to pirating, in the 100+ gig range since GTA5 is already pushing around 100 gigs. Also would sting because that'd be the first one I was actually pretty excited for, while stuff like Metro I'd been looking forward to but didn't care about losing it either.

 

[True Ukrainian]

The China market is one of the largest in the world and the government has taken steps to ensure that only domestic stores can operate legally in china. Steam is actually operating in a legal grey area and that's the reason why Gabe is so eager to cooperate with China, he wants a license to operate without the threat of shutdown. As it stands now, China can shut down Steam anytime they want and leave Steam without legal recourse.

Its the same reason why China does not want Epic to operate its store there. Though you can bet that any Epic exclusive will also pop up on a Tencent controlled storefront for the China market.

 

[GrainWetski]

In other news - RDR2 is rumored to also be an exclusive.

Looked it up since that one actually does interest me. Apparently the source of the leak was on 4chan though so it seems pretty reasonable to think it's bullshit until something more concrete comes out.

"The post claims that Take-Two Interactive, the publisher of GTA/RDR inked a deal with Epic that would see them take 100% of the profits from any additional content for RDR2, compared to the 30% cut that Steam takes."
That also kinda smells like bullshit to me, because while you can buy "Shark cash cards" on Steam for GTA5, physical shark cash cards shouldn't filter back to Gaben (Since as mentioned non-Steam Steam keys don't give Valve money) and I don't know if they have the option to buy them in-game via the Rockstar client shit or not. Still, I'd actually be really disappointed if RDR2 ends up Epic exclusive since that would probably be prohibitively large when it comes to pirating, in the 100+ gig range since GTA5 is already pushing around 100 gigs. Also would sting because that'd be the first one I was actually pretty excited for, while stuff like Metro I'd been looking forward to but didn't care about losing it either.

Apparently the same guy claimed Super Mario Odyssey was coming to EGS as well, so I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

The China market is one of the largest in the world and the government has taken steps to ensure that only domestic stores can operate legally in china. Steam is actually operating in a legal grey area and that's the reason why Gabe is so eager to cooperate with China, he wants a license to operate without the threat of shutdown. As it stands now, China can shut down Steam anytime they want and leave Steam without legal recourse.

Its the same reason why China does not want Epic to operate its store there. Though you can bet that any Epic exclusive will also pop up on a Tencent controlled storefront for the China market.

Death is a preferable alternative to communism.

 

[BlackAdderBG]

The China market is one of the largest in the world and the government has taken steps to ensure that only domestic stores can operate legally in china. Steam is actually operating in a legal grey area and that's the reason why Gabe is so eager to cooperate with China, he wants a license to operate without the threat of shutdown. As it stands now, China can shut down Steam anytime they want and leave Steam without legal recourse.

Its the same reason why China does not want Epic to operate its store there. Though you can bet that any Epic exclusive will also pop up on a Tencent controlled storefront for the China market.

Steam launched in China with Perfect World as partner last year.

 

[StrongBelwas]

That leak was bullshit but I'd be surprised if they didn't nab RDR 2 for at least a few months given how deep 2K is in bed with them. However it'd be a Ubisoft style deal where you'd still get it from Rockstar's own launcher(And if you buy it from EGS just like Steam you have to make the Rockstar account no matter what), so I imagine they would laugh their way to the bank for EGS paying them to promote their own store and get 100%.

 

[True Ukrainian]

The China market is one of the largest in the world and the government has taken steps to ensure that only domestic stores can operate legally in china. Steam is actually operating in a legal grey area and that's the reason why Gabe is so eager to cooperate with China, he wants a license to operate without the threat of shutdown. As it stands now, China can shut down Steam anytime they want and leave Steam without legal recourse.

Its the same reason why China does not want Epic to operate its store there. Though you can bet that any Epic exclusive will also pop up on a Tencent controlled storefront for the China market.

Steam launched in China with Perfect World as partner last year.

Wasn't that just the signing with the provincial government? Pretty sure Steam China has not begun operations yet.

 

[GrainWetski]

Guys, did you know that VALVE IS KILLING GAMING WITH ITS 30% CUT?! EPIC IS HERE TO SAVE US!! Bow down, mere mortals, and accept your salvation.




$ony, M$ and Nintedough can keep doing their 30+% cut because they sell underpowered consoles for way more than they're worth, though. So sayeth the saviour of gaming, Tim Sweeney.



Imagine trying to paint a company that previously abandoned PC gaming as the saviours of PC gaming. Not sure why it needs saving because things are looking better than ever.

 

[Astral Rag]

"It’s another storefront. All of them have exclusives. Apple just announced Apple Arcade, which consists of exclusives, yet nobody says a thing. The funding from these exclusives goes to supporting the game devs that create the games you love, so they can make more games."

 

[Reinhardt]

It's funny how corporation which made bank on scamming millions retarded kids in "free" game trying to pose as good guys.

 

[Solid Snail]

I just find hilarious how devs who got rich thanks to Steam posting enthusiastic tweets or social media posts for years about how many copies their games sold just turning out against Valve and Steam wich are now "shit".
If someone tomorrow will knock on the door of those people telling they will publish their games on their platforms for a 5% cut I bet all those devs/pubs will change their mind instantly stating how shitty Epic Store is. And they blame users when they want things "for free" but guess what? They want exactly the same thing, they want all the cake.

 

[Infinitron]

As people in that thread state, it's kind of lame the way that Geldreich guy appears to portray Valve as uniquely malicious for demanding the same standard fee as every other digital storefront. He seems like a disgruntled crank.

That said...if at the end of all of this, Valve do reduce their revenue share, you'll have to admit that Epic achieved something! Man, I'd love to know what Gabe Newell thinks of all this. Hopefully there'll be an interview someday.

 

[Solid Snail]

As people in that thread state, it's kind of lame the way that Geldreich guy appears to portray Valve as uniquely malicious for demanding the same standard fee as every other digital storefront. He seems like a disgruntled crank.

That said, if at the end of all of this, Valve do reduce their revenue share...you'll have to admit that Epic achieved something! Man, I'd love to know what Gabe Newell thinks of all of this. Hopefully there'll be an interview someday.

Didn't Valve reduce their cut already on some titles if they sell beyond a X amount of copies?
I don't know, I doubt Valve will lower their cut if not by reducing the services they offer. I bet IF Valve will really lower the cut there will be a downside in the form of something like Steam Plus or some shit like that in which you get maybe a couple of games for free each month but you basically need to pay to access basic services like Internet play, cloud storage etc...exactly like on console. Because if Valve lose money on a side, they will find a way to recover those money by the user's side (exactly like Epic does when they charge you a fee when purchasing games with specific payment services).

 

[Infinitron]

Geldreich is a crank, but I think it's entirely believable that Valve are making way more money than they need and can afford to reduce their fee without doing anything like that. At worst, they wouldn't have to take it all the way down to 12%. 20% would be something too.

 

[Reinhardt]

I'd love to know what Gabe Newell thinks of all of this

 

[ColonelTeacup]

Has anyone mentioned yet that valve has caved to dev pressure and is now hiding the actual ratings of games, depending on why the game was rated poorly? The new system is also opt-in by default, and so far as i've seen has not gotten too much coverage. I can only imagine this is due to epic now giving devs a tempting alternative to become exclusive, to the steams detriment.

 

[GrainWetski]

Valve's cut was never actually 30% across the board as far as I know. It was just the baseline and devs/publishers could always get lower cuts, mostly the bigger ones obviously.

Geldreich is a crank, but I think it's entirely believable that Valve are making way more money than they need and can afford to reduce their fee without doing anything like that. At worst, they wouldn't have to take it all the way down to 12%. 20% would be something too.

They could, but it's not something you just decide out of the blue. We're talking giving up 100s of millions of dollars for no real benefit for them yet. Even if most big devs move away from Steam, is a lower cut on those games enough to make up those millions? Maybe not.

Has anyone mentioned yet that valve has caved to dev pressure and is now hiding the actual ratings of games, depending on why the game was rated poorly? The new system is also opt-in, and so far as i've seen has not gotten too much coverage. I can only imagine this is due to epic now giving devs a tempting alternative to become exclusive, to the steams detriment.

That's more about all the constant whining about "review bombing" which has been happening long before Epic's store was even an idea in Sweeney's head. Not everything that happens on Steam is because of Epic.

 

[ColonelTeacup]

Valve's cut was never actually 30% across the board as far as I know. It was just the baseline and devs/publishers could always get lower cuts, mostly the bigger ones obviously.

Geldreich is a crank, but I think it's entirely believable that Valve are making way more money than they need and can afford to reduce their fee without doing anything like that. At worst, they wouldn't have to take it all the way down to 12%. 20% would be something too.

They could, but it's not something you just decide out of the blue. We're talking giving up 100s of millions of dollars for no real benefit for them yet. Even if most big devs move away from Steam, is a lower cut on those games enough to make up those millions? Maybe not.

Has anyone mentioned yet that valve has caved to dev pressure and is now hiding the actual ratings of games, depending on why the game was rated poorly? The new system is also opt-in, and so far as i've seen has not gotten too much coverage. I can only imagine this is due to epic now giving devs a tempting alternative to become exclusive, to the steams detriment.

That's more about all the constant whining about "review bombing" which has been happening long before Epic's store was even an idea in Sweeney's head. Not everything that happens on Steam is because of Epic.

I disagree. Before steam could just ignore the whinging, but now a lot of those complaining devs can run to epic if steam doesn't coddle them now. Steam is dealing with a new competitor and trying to hold onto its customers. Of course we're the commodity they're selling to the devs, so it remains to be seen how practices like these will affect the landscape.

 

[abija]

Geldreich is a crank, but I think it's entirely believable that Valve are making way more money than they need and can afford to reduce their fee without doing anything like that. At worst, they wouldn't have to take it all the way down to 12%. 20% would be something too.

And fortnite isn't making way more money than Epic needs? What kind of logic is that?

How about Epic cancelling the new UT to have more devs for fortnite when they clearly have the funds to keep the project alive? Bitchass that thought PC gamers are just pirates now wants a piece of the pie and somehow these mongos keep siding with him...

 

[V_K]

I disagree. Before steam could just ignore the whinging, but now a lot of those complaining devs can run to epic if steam doesn't coddle them now.

Um, but Borderlands developer has already run to Epic, that's the reason the review bombings are happening.

 

[JarlFrank]

Guys, did you know that VALVE IS KILLING GAMING WITH ITS 30% CUT?! EPIC IS HERE TO SAVE US!! Bow down, mere mortals, and accept your salvation.

STEAM TAKES THIRTY PERCEEEEEEEEEENT!!!!!

Do these fucking retards even remember the days when games were only sold in boxes, so you had to deduce the production costs for the box and CD, and the retail stores would also take a cut, along with the publisher?

But yeah, those poor poor indie developers who sell their game without a publisher directly on Steam, and have to pay a 30% cut. How tragic and unfair.

 

[~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸-AIN'T]

Also everybody talking about muh 30% never addresses why I, the consumer, should care. Are the savings being passed on to me in the form of lower prices? No? Why the fuck should I give a shit then?