Epic Games Store - the console war comes to PC

[passerby]

Except when it's on Steam, then it doesn't matter.

 

[LESS T_T]

Not directly related but interesting comment by Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick : https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2019-09-19-next-gen-wont-see-dev-costs-spike-take-two

"The world has changed. When we consider a console release, the PC format can be 40% or 50% now of that revenue. Ten years ago, that number was 1% or 2%. Clearly, the world is changing. A previously closed system is indeed turning into an open system. That means hardware is going to look more like hardware and less like hardware taxing software, which is great news for us."

 

[Tehdagah]

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/6-batman-games-are-now-free-on-the-epic-games-store/

The Batman Arkham Collection, which includes Arkham Asylum, Arkham City and Arkham Knight, are free to download for users, as well as Lego titles Lego Batman and its two sequels.

 

[DalekFlay]

On the one hand that's a pretty sweet giveaway, but on the other hand anyone inters ted probably got those games long ago on Steam. Still, I'll take the Lego ones, which I might play with my wife someday.

 

[PulsatingBrain]

Hadn't played Arkham Knight yet so that's a nice bonus. Still though. I only ever launch Epic to claim free games and occasionally to play one of them.

It's done nothing to make me want to use it in the same way I use Steam. Same story with every other launcher. I'd love to see actual data on how many people will take Epic or another store over Steam when a game is available on both

 

[Perkel]

nice. I played first one and i remember it being quite good but never bothered with sequels for some reason.
Lego ones are apparently pretty fun to play in co-op.

 

[Perkel]

Fucking Rockstar launcher. Fuck this shit. If companies don't want to give another store a cut, fine, that's cool. But sell the games directly on their fucking website. Let me pay there and download an installer in return. Don't require yet another fucking application on top of it.

It is amazing that people can be so angry about launcher that existed since GTA5 on Steam became a thing.
To play GTA5 you had to login first into rockstar club without it you couldn't play gta5.

Though it would be amazing if rockstar would take away GTA5 from Steam and bring it to Epic.
The butt-hurt would be of an epic proportions and would be amazing to watch.

 

[Reinhardt]

Though it would be amazing if rockstar would take away GTA5 from Steam and bring it to Epic.

They can just launch RDR2 on their own store and kill epic.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

without it you can't play gta5.

Sure you can.

 

[FeelTheRads]

Epic or Steam is the same shit for me.

I'd also choose Steam over Epic.

Yeah, whole argument fell apart there.

Yes, if you quote of context and in reverse order.

If I was into renting games, and both of them had the same games, I'd choose Steam.
If something was only available on one of them, I'd get it from wherever it was available. Because I really can't tell the difference from a customer perspective between an Epic exclusive and a Steam exclusive.

However, I'm not into renting games, hence they're both the same shit for me.

 

[Reinhardt]

Because I really can't tell the difference from a customer perspective between an Epic exclusive and a Steam exclusive.

 

[Perkel]

Not related but in other news. Since huawei was booted out of Google apps with US trade barriers they will be opening their own service with 15% cut instead of google 30%. They will also pay developers $1BLN to port most of popular apps on it and that is "just a start"

Looks like 30% dam is breaking all around.

without it you can't play gta5.

Sure you can.

If you crack game sure.

Though it would be amazing if rockstar would take away GTA5 from Steam and bring it to Epic.

They can just launch RDR2 on their own store and kill epic.

With 12% margins are so thin that i doubt they would decline Epic. As long as margin is low probably they could even earn more on Epic store than their own store.

There is a reason why whole word uses retail chains to sell their goods rather than running own stores.

 

[FeelTheRads]

Because I really can't tell the difference from a customer perspective between an Epic exclusive and a Steam exclusive.

Yes, cretin. There is no difference. Except a Steam exclusive being in many case worse. See 7 (up to infinity) years vs 1 year.
Cocksucking moron. Just because you hate Epic doesn't make having to use it worse than having to use Steam. They're both the same shit for anyone who buys games and not clients.

Yeah I dont know anything about that. But if its that hard than its another pro for steam and still not steams fault that the other stores are worse.

How is that a "pro" for Steam? I think he meant dealing with a storefront in general. Not that Steam is no work while others require a lot of work.
And no, it's still not Steam's fault. So what? Am I forced to use it if I want to play certain games? Yes, I am. So the discussion ends right there.

 

[Grauken]

Yeah, all storefronts require work, but effort to sales is better for steam than say GOG, although I heard the backend for Steam is much more seamless than GOGs

 

[Perkel]

I find it amazing though that so many people cuck for steam.

Every Epic release is potential GOG release since they don't use that cancer called Steamworks.
It also means that developers sooner or later will have to drop steamworks completely to not divide playerbase which also means GOG games will have multiplayer with actual people in it.

 

[Perkel]

Also those batman games are Denuvo free unlike Steam versions.

 

[Cromwell]

I find it amazing though that so many people cuck for steam.

I think most people just dont like epic. I dont have much against steam (apart from owning renting but what can you do) but I actively dislike epic/sweeny/fortnite/chinese and so on. We have a big gamergate thread here, we have sjw threads here and in all of them you find certain groups of "gamers" and "jorunalists" actively chilling against playerbases, declaring them dead or toxic or whatever and Epic falls into the same category. They tell me sales are not needed (i.e. go and buy to my price pleb!) reviews are not needed, developer cock is to be sucked hard, fortnite is gerat game etc. they have media chilling for them. Its always the same anti consumer, anti gamer, anti normal people behaviour but somehow its ok if its epic because if you dont like that youre a steamtard. 162 pages in and still there is a subhuman pole that tells me I am a cuck for not sucking sweenys cock. wtf is happening

 

[Grauken]

(apart from owning renting but what can you do)

Finish games on Steam, get a pirate copy for your archive, is what I do for games I like and there's no DRM-free version available

 

[TheHeroOfTime]

They are giving away the Batman Arkham trilogy for free

https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/collection/batman-free-week

Spoiler

 

[DalekFlay]

It's done nothing to make me want to use it in the same way I use Steam. Same story with every other launcher. I'd love to see actual data on how many people will take Epic or another store over Steam when a game is available on both

Yeah, that's what I've been saying. I do think exclusives and giveaways work to get people to use it, but if they want to transform those people into ones who prefer it they need to improve that client a loooooot faster than they are. It baffles me they seem to not give a shit.

 

[passerby]

If they can transform those people into "check the store at least twice a month and have no problem buying an exclusive there" it'll be enough, no *prefer* required.

Giveaway twice a month trains customers into a habit and the more games a person has on the store the less resistant this person will be to purchase another one, so such a long period and sheer volume of decent give aways goes a long way to achieve these goals.
Of course general barebonesness of the platform does a decent job at sabotaging this positive conditioning. It boggless the mind that they can throw 10s of millions around, but couldn't dedicate strong enough team to make competent platform on launch, let alone half year later.

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

$10,000,000 for exclusivity on Control, apparently. Since we haven't really seen actual numbers revealed until now, I believe.
https://www.gamesindustry.biz/artic...parent-over-USD10m-for-control-pc-exclusivity

 

[passerby]

Advance against sales most likely, like with other deals we know about. If it was stright up payment Epic would need to move 3M full price units to break even, which is not going to happen.

 

[Jezal_k23]

True, but also, this is by definition a non self-sustaining strategy for Epic. They don't intend to make a profit just yet. They just want exclusives in their platform.

 

[HarveyBirdman]

They are giving away the Batman Arkham trilogy for free

https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/collection/batman-free-week

Spoiler

Do you need to download the launcher to use any of their shit?