In a call that you almost want to see
Valve follow if with, "yeah, sure", Epic CEO has taken to Twitter to state "If Steam committed to a permanent 88% revenue share for all developers and publishers without major strings attached, Epic would hastily organize a retreat from exclusives". Adding that
Epic would also consider putting their games on Steam.
Which is a bold statement and also a weird statement to make whilst your company is attempting to build and grow an online platform with the Epic Games Store.
Which although lacks several features compared to Steam, has attracted developers both large and small with its friendlier 12% revenue share which sees game-makers take the lions-share or 88% of all sales. This in turn has led to several exclusive deals for the platform found recently across titles like Metro Exodus, Anno 1800, and even Borderlands 3.
As a direct comparison Valve takes 30% of all digital Steam sales.
Due to the whole Epic Games Store exclusivity stuff we've been seeing of late, PC gaming has recently taken on the form of the early '90s console wars - even though Steam and the Epic Games Store are but two icons on a desktop. It's almost comical how toxic some of the rhetoric has become.
It's worth noting though that the "major strings attached", according to Tim, means "games can use any online systems like friends and accounts they choose, games are free to interoperate across platforms and stores" which no doubt might make it impossible for Valve to call his bluff. Plus, it's a tad disingenuous. Epic's Fortnite supports cross-play, but as a PC platform the Epic Games Store is currently being built as an exclusives storefront, and not an open platform.
Posted 02:30pm 28/4/19
Posted 06:50pm 29/4/19
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