Are Epic games out to KILL Steam? (SIPFFO) related)

[Kranel_San]

Stranger of Paradise looks so amazing, as does FF7R, but the thing staying my hand on even trying these games is something I was told years ago about Epic Games that might be a bit hyperbolic if it's true at all, but did solidify a powerful early impression, and I've never really had a place to ask for more input, until it occurred to me that I could ask here, as a FF fan.

The long and the short of my early impression is that unlike many competitors that seem to run in parallel in their place in the market, Epic games are specifically a rather "hostile competitor" to Steam's ubiquity in PC gaming. To hear someone who I considered pretty versed and "finger on the pulse" of such things tell it, basically Epic is out to spend money from their deep "war chest" to get exclusives and lure developers over in a specific effort to "sink" Steam... and everyone's Steam libraries with it.

I'll be the first to admit that there's a somewhat problematic element to Steam being seen as the synonymous assumption of platform for PC gaming but, like... they are. That's just how it is. They got there (to their level of ubiquity) first, everyone's invested, and well... for good or ill, until they do something utterly abhorrent to kill themselves, speaking as someone who IS deeply invested in an extensive library, I kind of feel a paranoid loyalty to Steam, at least on the axis of "vs the evil company apparently trying to take my Steam library away."

...And yet, every time I visit this mindset, it seems rather extreme, and I have to ask "was my source wrong?" Ok, I'll also admit I question it when I pine for Stranger of Paradise on PC, but really, it's time to ask this out loud: How evil is Epic on this specific axis, was my initial source wrong, and is my foundational impression of Epic way off base?

I'm interested in other perspectives. Thanks in advance for any and all helpful replies/discussion!

Add FFXVI to the list, since as usual, it will be Epic games store exclusive despite Steam being capable of offering much bigger sales....
I dislike exclusivity, which is why, despite me waiting to play FF7R and Stranger of Paradise, haven't yet bought them on Epic games, as I'd not want to support exclusivity.
Another reason that makes me dislike Epic games very much is them being like a brat kid who sees themselves much bigger than their actual size. Went on to cross with big names such as Steam and Apple out of nowhere with no real plans other than persuading their 6-13 years old fans to support their cause and free game offers on already-cheap games, in addition to trying to insert their account system on any games they hold their hands on.
All of this and more really makes me not want to buy or have any interactions with them.

[RaevusAstra]

There's no such thing as PC exclusivity when the storefronts are free. Get whatever storefront you want.

The fact is that games sold on Epic give more money to the developer (not only paid up front, but Epic takes a smaller cut from each sale after a certain amount is made, and even smaller if you use the Unreal Engine). As a game developer, the EGS is far more friendly to the livelihood of game devs, which doesn't matter to most of you, but matters when you have to put food on your plate and your game has only sold a couple hundred copies and Steam takes 30% of that cut.

EGS and Steam can coexist. EGS tries to champion the whole "developer first" mantra which by their percentage cuts and paying developers to switch over follow through, but it's not like Steam is going anywhere anytime soon.

[Omedon]

There's no such thing as PC exclusivity when the storefronts are free. Get whatever storefront you want.

The fact is that games sold on Epic give more money to the developer (not only paid up front, but Epic takes a smaller cut from each sale after a certain amount is made, and even smaller if you use the Unreal Engine). As a game developer, the EGS is far more friendly to the livelihood of game devs, which doesn't matter to most of you, but matters when you have to put food on your plate and your game has only sold a couple hundred copies and Steam takes 30% of that cut.

EGS and Steam can coexist. EGS tries to champion the whole "developer first" mantra which by their percentage cuts and paying developers to switch over follow through, but it's not like Steam is going anywhere anytime soon.

After a whole page of replies kinda meandering away from the intent of the thread, you seem to be knowledgable on the front I'm specifically asking on. I appreciate you speaking up, and I'm just wondering if (as far as you know) my friend's initial impressions (Essentially "If you support epic that's a strike against the longevity of your steam library") were crazytalk or if they were based on something actually known.

I'm not trying to find the "ethical consumption under capitalism," as there is none, (though it's nice to see a platform apparently supporting developers!) I'm just trying to inform my own choices as to whether or not I'm shooting my steam investment in the foot, or at least generally contributing in that direction, by buying from the EGS.

[Jin-]

Epic can try but Steam makes truckloads of money compared to Epic store. They've done this for couple of years now trying to gather attention, with not so succesful results if you look at earnings on the specific stores. I would think that most Epic store users only have the bribe games as free versions and never paid a cent to Epic.
Personally i dislike forced exclusivity so i get games like that by different means. Square is no expection.

[RaevusAstra]

All of this hostility towards EG by gamers is really weird to me, but I guess there are less people that really care how the games industry does behind the scenes.

With EGS or not, Epic Games still makes games the way they are possible today - the Unreal Engine powers a ton of SE's latest games including FF7R and SoP. They're making money regardless by the nature of making a frankly excellent tool for game developers. It is one of the two biggest game engines in the world, so tim sweeny and EG probably don't care that much how their store is doing.

Something to note: Sony, Microsoft, and every game company ever has been buying exclusives since the dawn of time. We've been hearing in the news constantly about Sony buying X and Microsoft buying Y. Most of the time this isn't about exclusivity, this is about exclusivity from the thing YOU want it to be on. If Sony bought Square, FF fans wouldn't flinch but if Microsoft bought Square it'd be a riot.

This is the current climate of game development these days. Exclusivity brings sales and it's been that way since the dawn of the home console, since Nintendo and SEGA. If you don't want to participate in it, focus your money on games that are multiplatform and give players the choice to go wherever. FFXIV and the future of FF aren't those games.

[technole]

Speaking from a developer standpoint, you're not going to like to hear this, but Epic Game Store is a publisher/developer heaven. If your game is Unreal Engine, you are taking home 88% vs 70%. It already costs 5% in royalties, but they don't double dip on EGS.



In-case you want to know why KH3, FF7R, and Wonderlands are EGS exclusive. Square-Enix and gearbox aren't dummies.

Games like FFXIV, well that doesn't matter SE pays the 30% cut on platforms like Steam or PlayStation Store for the base game/expansions.

[Jin-]

All of this hostility towards EG by gamers is really weird to me, but I guess there are less people that really care how the games industry does behind the scenes.

With EGS or not, Epic Games still makes games the way they are possible today - the Unreal Engine powers a ton of SE's latest games including FF7R and SoP. They're making money regardless by the nature of making a frankly excellent tool for game developers. It is one of the two biggest game engines in the world, so tim sweeny and EG probably don't care that much how their store is doing.

Something to note: Sony, Microsoft, and every game company ever has been buying exclusives since the dawn of time. We've been hearing in the news constantly about Sony buying X and Microsoft buying Y. Most of the time this isn't about exclusivity, this is about exclusivity from the thing YOU want it to be on. If Sony bought Square, FF fans wouldn't flinch but if Microsoft bought Square it'd be a riot.

This is the current climate of game development these days. Exclusivity brings sales and it's been that way since the dawn of the home console, since Nintendo and SEGA. If you don't want to participate in it, focus your money on games that are multiplatform and give players the choice to go wherever. FFXIV and the future of FF aren't those games.

Hence why consoles suck, hence why Apple is bad for people who prefer to choose where to buy and which "whateveryouwish" to choose. With Steam and GOG i have the option to choose.
Metro Exodus, anyone remember that drama? They sold the game on Steam and few sundowns before the game went live they pulled the game and took Epic's bribe to "help with the developing costs" or Phoenix Point drama. In those cases its very easy choice, not buying or supporting. There is enough other things to play.

[RaevusAstra]

Nope! There's a lot of rumors about EGS trying to kill Steam but it simply won't happen. Steam is still and for the foreseeable future will be the prime storefront for PC gaming — if anything, competition between EGS and Steam if the former gets big enough will push Steam to step up its feature list or find a way to attract more developers to publish to them.

Epic Games doesn't (and shouldn't imo) have the power to kill Steam or your games library - it's not a virus. Actually it's beneficial that steam exists, because games made in the Unreal Engine outside of the EGS can collect royalties, so Epic profits one way or the other.

[RaevusAstra]

Do you, by all means! I'm just pointing out that EGS whether you like it or not is far more developer friendly - which is why it's more attractive for devs, especially those using the Unreal Engine to switch over.

Could you even tell me how many games are Steam exclusives, or does the fact that "Steam" is synonymous with "PC gaming" mean that a Steam game isn't an exclusive?

[Limecat]

I want nothing to do with any storefront client. I barely tolerated Steam when I did use it, and the scummier ones were never on the table. I buy everything on either GOG or itch now.