Epic Games Store - the console war comes to PC

[Ismaul]

Bribes' sole purpose is to compromise your morals and make you indebted to the briber. If you respect yourself, it isn't difficult to pass up such an offer at all.

 

[Tacgnol]

If it ain't free or exclusive, why would you ever buy it there? I can't believe they don't have an answer for this question, and don't seem to care about finding one. It's kind of baffling.

This is the same thing I've been asking. They not coming up with an answer for over 2 years now leads me to believe they make their money by some other means. Like making your CPU the launcher's bitch for some reason. Probably selling all kinds of data to whoever. According to Wikipedia, however -

Over its first year in 2019, Epic reported that the Store drew 108 million customers, and brought in over US$680 million in sales, with US$251 million being spent on third-party games. Of those third-party games, 90% of the sales came from the Epic Games Store time-limited exclusives. Overall, Epic stated that overall sales were 60% higher than they had anticipated.

So I guess their exclusives work out for them in the end, so they don't need to offer anything else to the customer. Very existential crisis inducing.

$251 million doesn't seem very much for all their third party games.

Also is that the raw sales, or just their cut?

 

[JarlFrank]

I never bought anything on Epic store, nor did I ever claim any freebies. I just wait for exclusives to hit Steam and/or GoG because I don't care about day one purchasing. I'd rather pay 2 bucks more on a store I trust than get the BEST DEAL EVER on Epic store.

Besides, it's not like Epic even has a good selection. They're a curated store, just like GoG (which is GoG's greatest flaw). Steam is entirely open and a lot of games I like are available only there. Some are also on the small indie store itch.io, which works kinda like GoG where you can download your bought games as installers.

What does Epic offer me apart from lower prices?
Nothing. It offers me nothing. Steam has the superior client and more games. GoG has downloadable installers that are launcher-independent.
Epic has... a launcher that takes up a lot of CPU power and sends more information to some server than any other launcher out there, containing who knows what kind of data? LMAO. Fuck off.

 

[Tacgnol]

I just wait for exclusives to hit Steam and/or GoG because I don't care about day one purchasing.

Most games are so buggy at release these days that waiting a year is usually a blessing.

Besides, they usually slap a large discount on them to tempt Steam users to buy them.

Win/Win.

 

[lycanwarrior]

Though Epic Games is giving away games for Christmas, not everything that seems free truly is. Either by lousy design, stealthy data collection, or a combination of the two, the Epic Games Launcher appears to be continuously running some sort of relatively demanding process in the background.

It's almost like some thing someone said a week ago when retards were going around yelling "Free Gaymes!" excitedly.

The "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch" (or TANSTAAFL) principle continues to ring true. And not just in this instance, for all sorts of other areas. I'm sure others here will know what I mean

 

[lycanwarrior]

In fact many games I have bought on EGS are currently exclusive or have been exclusives in the past (Outer Worlds, Metro Exodus, Afterparty, etc.)

Yeah, no one will ever really know what percentage of people actually would have bought games like Control on day one if they were on Steam, but did not because they were only on Epic. It's kind of an impossible thing to find out, really. However what I think we can say for sure is Epic has given people no real reason to CHOOSE Epic over Steam (or even GOG). If it ain't free or exclusive, why would you ever buy it there? I can't believe they don't have an answer for this question, and don't seem to care about finding one. It's kind of baffling.

There is that $10 coupon that they hand out on occasion.

How long Epic can keep doing that and/or the free games is an interesting question...

 

[Venser]

Big shift for Cary Towne Center as Epic Games buys site for $95M for headquarters campus
By Caleb Harshberger – Staff Writer, Triangle Business Journal
Jan 3, 2021, 5:22pm EST

The future of the Cary Towne Center has shifted dramatically as Epic Games has acquired the 87-acre site with plans to build a global headquarters campus.

The Cary-based video game and software giant confirmed to TBJ it closed on the property on Thursday in a $95 million deal with Turnbridge Equities and Denali Properties, the developers who bought the struggling mall in southeast Cary for $31 million in early 2019 and later unveiled major plans for a massive mixed-use project.

A spokesperson for Epic Games said the company is still in the early stages of the development process for the headquarters campus. The company said the campus would include office buildings and recreational spaces. "We plan to commence development of our new headquarters this year with the goal of converting the property into our new campus by 2024," the spokesperson said.

The sale comes three months after New York-based Turnbridge and Dallas-based Denali announced plans to break ground in early 2021 on their own plans for the property, which had called for a mixed-use hub, called Carolina Yards, with 4 million square feet of space off Cary Towne Boulevard and Walnut Street. What led the developers to sell the site is unclear. Triangle Business Journal reached out to Turnbridge and Denali seeking comment but didn't receive a response before publication.

In a press release from Epic Games, Jason Davis, managing director at Turnbridge Equities, said “Epic shares our vision for transforming Cary Towne Center into a vibrant community space. This sale is further validation of our value-driven investment strategy, and the property could not be placed in better hands. After years of shifting development plans for the center, we are thrilled the space will be utilized to its full potential and turned into something the Town and community of Cary can be proud of.”

In late 2019, the town of Cary approved the developers' rezoning request for the site, paving the way for up to 1.2 million square feet of office use, 360,0000 square feet of commercial use, 450 hotel rooms and 1,800 multi-family and townhouse dwelling units. It's unclear whether any of Turnbridge and Denali's plans for the site will be included in Epic's project.

Enlarge
Before the sale to Epic Games, the developers behind Carolina Yards had planned a 2021 groundbreaking. This rendering shows part of what they were planning.

C/O GENSLER

Epic Games said the sellers’ work on entitling the property cleared the way for its own work to start this year. The company currently has its headquarters off Crossroads Boulevard in southwest Cary. Epic Games had previously filed plans to expand next to that location with room for up to 2,000 employees – but those plans are now off the table, the company said. Epic Games currently has around 2,200 workers, according to data compiled by TBJ.

Epic Games said the company is now working with the Town of Cary on its plans for the development, including ways to incorporate a community aspect into the project. This includes working with the town on plans for the Cary Community Recreation and Sports Center, a $193 million project also slated to be developed on the site.

“We’re extremely proud that Epic has chosen to call Cary home for their new global headquarters, and we greatly appreciate the company’s recognition of Cary’s existing assets as well as the unlimited potential of the area for their growing business,” said Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht.

Enlarge
The Epic Games headquarters in Cary.

TAYLOR MCDONALD

Epic's new plans come after the company, behind the global hit "Fortnite," raised $1.78 billion in 2020 and now has a valuation of $17.3 billon.

Stephen Porterfield of Capital Associates represented Epic Games in the transaction for Cary Towne Center.

https://www.bizjournals.com/triangl...-buys-cary-towne-center-for-headquarters.html

 

[NJClaw]

Though Epic Games is giving away games for Christmas, not everything that seems free truly is. Either by lousy design, stealthy data collection, or a combination of the two, the Epic Games Launcher appears to be continuously running some sort of relatively demanding process in the background.

It's almost like some thing someone said a week ago when retards were going around yelling "Free Gaymes!" excitedly.

Wow, you must be some kind of genius. I'm sure that people who took those games for free were absolutely certain that Epic Games was gifting them out of goodwill. Those people definitely weren't willing to pay with their data instead of their money.

Can you try to explain why getting free games in exchange for your data and your presence on their platform is a bad idea, while giving your data to Steam absolutely for free is perfectly fine?

 

[Frank Capicoli]

I just wait for exclusives to hit Steam and/or GoG because I don't care about day one purchasing.

Most games are so buggy at release these days that waiting a year is usually a blessing.

Besides, they usually slap a large discount on them to tempt Steam users to buy them.

Win/Win.

Waiting on Epic! exclusivity to end helped me dodge a bullet on both Ashen and The Outer Worlds.

 

[Tacgnol]

Though Epic Games is giving away games for Christmas, not everything that seems free truly is. Either by lousy design, stealthy data collection, or a combination of the two, the Epic Games Launcher appears to be continuously running some sort of relatively demanding process in the background.

It's almost like some thing someone said a week ago when retards were going around yelling "Free Gaymes!" excitedly.

Wow, you must be some kind of genius. I'm sure that people who took those games for free were absolutely certain that Epic Games was gifting them out of goodwill. Those people definitely weren't willing to pay with their data instead of their money.

Can you try to explain why getting free games in exchange for your data and your presence on their platform is a bad idea, while giving your data to Steam absolutely for free is perfectly fine?

Valve isn't owned by Tencent.

 

[JarlFrank]

Though Epic Games is giving away games for Christmas, not everything that seems free truly is. Either by lousy design, stealthy data collection, or a combination of the two, the Epic Games Launcher appears to be continuously running some sort of relatively demanding process in the background.

It's almost like some thing someone said a week ago when retards were going around yelling "Free Gaymes!" excitedly.

Wow, you must be some kind of genius. I'm sure that people who took those games for free were absolutely certain that Epic Games was gifting them out of goodwill. Those people definitely weren't willing to pay with their data instead of their money.

Can you try to explain why getting free games in exchange for your data and your presence on their platform is a bad idea, while giving your data to Steam absolutely for free is perfectly fine?

Valve isn't owned by Tencent.

Also Valve's launcher isn't datamining my computer, hogging my resources and sending suspiciously high amounts of data to their server.

 

[Tacgnol]

Though Epic Games is giving away games for Christmas, not everything that seems free truly is. Either by lousy design, stealthy data collection, or a combination of the two, the Epic Games Launcher appears to be continuously running some sort of relatively demanding process in the background.

It's almost like some thing someone said a week ago when retards were going around yelling "Free Gaymes!" excitedly.

Wow, you must be some kind of genius. I'm sure that people who took those games for free were absolutely certain that Epic Games was gifting them out of goodwill. Those people definitely weren't willing to pay with their data instead of their money.

Can you try to explain why getting free games in exchange for your data and your presence on their platform is a bad idea, while giving your data to Steam absolutely for free is perfectly fine?

Valve isn't owned by Tencent.

Also Valve's launcher isn't datamining my computer, hogging my resources and sending suspiciously high amounts of data to their server.

Knowing how shady Kung Pao Tim and Sergei are, my money is on cryptominer + data gathering. CPU usage "bug" my ass.

And they would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn't for those damn meddling kids and their task manager.

 

[NJClaw]

Though Epic Games is giving away games for Christmas, not everything that seems free truly is. Either by lousy design, stealthy data collection, or a combination of the two, the Epic Games Launcher appears to be continuously running some sort of relatively demanding process in the background.

It's almost like some thing someone said a week ago when retards were going around yelling "Free Gaymes!" excitedly.

Wow, you must be some kind of genius. I'm sure that people who took those games for free were absolutely certain that Epic Games was gifting them out of goodwill. Those people definitely weren't willing to pay with their data instead of their money.

Can you try to explain why getting free games in exchange for your data and your presence on their platform is a bad idea, while giving your data to Steam absolutely for free is perfectly fine?

Valve isn't owned by Tencent.

Also Valve's launcher isn't datamining my computer, hogging my resources and sending suspiciously high amounts of data to their server.

And the Epic Games launcher isn't datamining my computer, hogging my resources, or sending suspiciously high amounts of data to their server either, since I'm able to use my fingers to close the program as soon as I launch the game.

 

[Duralux for Durabux]

Also Valve's launcher isn't datamining my computer, hogging my resources and sending suspiciously high amounts of data to their server.

America GOOD, China BAD.

 

[JarlFrank]

And the Epic Games launcher isn't datamining my computer, hogging my resources, or sending suspiciously high amounts of data to their server either, since I'm able to use my fingers to close the program as soon as I launch the game.

The program shouldn't be doing it in the first place.

 

[markec]

Some two months ago my graphic card died and while waiting for replacement I used my integrated graphics. With it I easily browsed net, watched movies, played some old games on GoG and Steam, Epic Store launcher on the other hand was pretty much unusable.

 

[DalekFlay]

America GOOD, China BAD.

Let's wait and see how America looks in 5 years or so.

 

[Reinhardt]

America GOOD, China BAD.

Let's wait and see how America looks in 5 years or so.

Nigger, you voted for Biden. It's your fault.

 

[Duralux for Durabux]

Nigger, you voted for Biden. It's your fault.

White hat or hat White?

 

[karoliner]

The official PRC store is giving away STAR WARS Battlefront II.

 

[Malamert]

The official PRC store is giving away STAR WARS Battlefront II.

Oh, it's the 2017 garbage. Thought for a second that it was the good stuff, the real deal, the classic one. What a shame.

 

[DalekFlay]

Oh, it's the 2017 garbage. Thought for a second that it was the good stuff, the real deal, the classic one. What a shame.

That one's been on sale for like $1 a hundred times on GOG and Steam, so not sure how exciting that would be.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Also Valve's launcher isn't datamining my computer, hogging my resources and sending suspiciously high amounts of data to their server.

America GOOD, China BAD.

Epic(and any other company remotely related to China) are bad for the same reason Google, Facebook, etc., are bad.
The difference between US and Chinese corporations is that all US corporations aren't inherently being controlled by the state, but most(nearly all) of the big ones are. Whereas in China, all businesses are de facto owned by the state(this was the conclusion Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board came to FYI.) Another major difference is that while China is a one-party state that holds all power, USA is not so. e.g., see Apple refusing to unlock a dead terrorist's iphone at the behest of the FBI(something that would never happen in PRC) despite regularly working with other parts of the government to help infringe upon the rights of US citizens. A one-party state is far more dangerous than one that has competing powers, even if you dislike all of the competing powers.
I'm sorry if you have trouble understanding this.

 

[lycanwarrior]

Epic Game Store's 2020 Year in Review:

https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/news/epic-games-store-2020-year-in-review

Epic Games Store 2020 Year in Review
1.28.2021
Happy New Year and Welcome to 2021!
We’re only a few weeks into the New Year and what better way to kick things off than to confirm that weekly free games are going to continue on the Epic Games Store in 2021! It’s been an incredible year of growth for us on many levels so we’re excited to share details about 2020.
As we look back at 2020 on the Epic Games Store, we wanted to take a moment to thank all of our partners who helped us bring joy to so many gamers around the world over the past year. Adapting to constantly changing challenges is no easy feat and we're grateful for this community of developers, publishers, players and creators.

Thanks to this community, the Epic Games Store saw historic growth in engagement across the board. There are now over 160 million Epic Games Store PC users. Daily active users are up 192% to 31.3 million daily active players, with a peak CCU 13 million concurrent players this year (up from 7M in 2019). Monthly active users in December rose from 32 million in 2019 to 56 million.
This surge in player growth has also led to an increase in purchasing and play time! In 2020, PC customers on the Epic Games Store spent over $700M of which third party games represented 37% at $265M. Last year, the Epic Games Store community played 70% more hours with a total playtime of 5.70 billion hours in 2020 compared to 3.35 billion hours in 2019.

We're making strides to offer more titles on the store by onboarding more developers and introducing their titles to the Epic Games ecosystem. The Epic Games Store grew from 190 games in 2019 to 471 in 2020. We released 103 weekly free games which were a big part of the titles that made their way to the store. In 2021, we’re going to rapidly expand the catalog of new titles available on the Epic Games Store even further by providing developers with self-publishing tools for the EGS Platform and we’ll be releasing details on those specific plans soon.

Check out more year-end results:

Shipped Store Features in 2020
Wishlisting was a major feature initially released in February 2020 and continued to see incremental improvements throughout the year. We followed with the release of Mod Support which continues to incorporate more mod-supported titles on the Epic Games Store. We also shipped numerous Storefront visual improvements in 2020, including changes to the Discover and Browse options, as well as an updated Carousel in December 2020.

We’ve also added:

• Open Critic Reviews
• Self-Service Refunds
• 19 new Currencies
• Direct Carrier Billing in numerous countries
• Offline Sign-In
• Launcher performance improvements (Big help for Mac)
• Improved browsing for Add-On content
• Early Access Messaging
• Price-Based Filters

There have been substantial infrastructure changes that have not been in plain view for our PC customers to see. One such change is toward our Epic Games Store developer publishing tools. Continuing to improve our publishing tools has provided the opportunity to bring more games to the Epic Games Store in 2020 and as we march toward complete self-publishing tools, we expect to see even more new titles published. Disclaimer: Yes, we’ve mentioned self-publishing tools three times now because it’s just that important! More Games. More Options. More Fun.

What’s coming in 2021?
Much of the development work this year is centered on opening the store to developers that want to publish titles on the store. We want a smooth, seamless experience for developers looking to bring their titles to the Epic Games Store. This unlocks the ability for Epic Games Store customers to purchase the games they want, when they want while developers enjoy a much fairer revenue share split.

We’re improving existing features like Wishlists and Achievements in 2021. There’s a major priority to release more community-oriented features that provide a more personalized experience.

Here’s a quick glance at features we’re working on:

• Wishlist Improvements
• Social Overhaul
• Achievements
• Player Profiles
• 

You can stay up to date on features coming to the Epic Games Store by bookmarking and checking out the official Trello.

To the Epic Games PC community and developers, we thank you for continuing to support the Epic Games Store, we wish you all the very best! We’ll have a number of surprises coming in the year in addition to major game releases so buckle up for a fun time!

 

[V_K]

Hmm, interesting. Steam numbers for the same period:

Total hours played on Steam games skyrocketed by over 50 percent, from 20.8 billion in 2019 to around 31.3 billion. The platform pulled in a horde of new players as well. Each month, an average of 2.6 million people bought a Steam game for the first time. Valve says Steam hit new highs on other fronts, including monthly active users (120.4 million), daily players (62.6 million), peak concurrent users (24.8 million) and game purchases (21.4 percent more than 2019).

So roughly twice the amount of Epic's reported monthly, daily and concurrent active players - but 6 times the amount of hours played.
And there's no 2020 numbers, but Steam's revenue in 2017 was reported to be 4.3 bn., so also 6 times that of Epic - or 16 times if we consider only "third party games".
Is it just me or Epic's active user numbers smell fishy?