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

[Omedon]

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!

[Ilisidi]

I have no interest in either of them or having my game library locked to a third party platform.

[LioJen]

I'm just not sure why SE needed to use a "platform" at all for their PC releases. I got FFXIV straight from their own webpage, why can't I just get the rest of their games from there too?

I'm not opposed to using Epic or Steam, or GoG or whatever. All it is in the end is just a different launcher, you don't even have to spend extra money or physically move anything like you would with console exclusives.

[Raoabolic]

I use the fitgirl platform. :^) j/k j/k

Though I believe there is a 3rd party program that makes shortcuts of the games on your system and launches whatever it needs to play it. I believe it was Fusion Game Manager or something but I assumed it was made to solve the issue of everyone wanting their own drm to protect their games. Though the RE8 debacle was funny, that game was 100% drmception to the point Capcom had to fix their drm so it works with steam/epic/gog's drm.

[Jeeqbit]

This is why I buy games directly from retailers instead of through Steam.

[Johners]

Epic Games Store has been losing money ever since they started it. They can giveaway as many free games as they like or sign as many exclusive deals as they like, people don’t buy games on the EGS, they buy on Steam. Valve have absolutely nothing to worry about, not for a long time.

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

But how is this XIV related?

[Ranaku]

I'm just not sure why SE needed to use a "platform" at all for their PC releases. I got FFXIV straight from their own webpage, why can't I just get the rest of their games from there too?

I'm not opposed to using Epic or Steam, or GoG or whatever. All it is in the end is just a different launcher, you don't even have to spend extra money or physically move anything like you would with console exclusives.

Cause having your game in more stores, albeit a online one, brings you more sales and idk how much you slept through your math lessons but...listen to this...(or well read)...more sales means...more money! And now a even crazier theory...more money...makes investors and shareholders happy! Especially when you try to reach into the western market on pc it is a good idea to tap into established online stores, like steam.

^- Since our smoll excursus into economics is done with that. I personally hate it. I hate steam and being force bound to it and it was an awful mistake to create the account over steam.

[RobynDaBank]

I'm just not sure why SE needed to use a "platform" at all for their PC releases. I got FFXIV straight from their own webpage, why can't I just get the rest of their games from there too?

I'm thinking it's because platforms offer developers money to put the games on their platform. Perhaps they're getting a part of the earnings from sales.

[Ilisidi]

With GOG at least you can get a launcherless version of most games that after the initial download never again require GOG or accounts or internet to play or install.