Epic Games Store - 88% split goes to devs

I’m pretty blunt about it. Given the crap that the EGS is, I don’t want Epic in the PC marketplace period. I don’t like their store, I don’t trust them with my credit card given all the security issues EGS has, and their business strategy is bad for my wallet.

Steam’s monopoly is better for me than Epic’s “competition”, and I’d be fine with Valve going brutal on companies that took Epic money if that’s what it took to get Epic out of the market.

I think Steam know that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Going brutal on companies that tool a good deal from epic would be anticompetetive behaviour.

I do think they should tighten up their contract so that if you use their storefront for prerelease marketing you can’t pull the game and sell it somewhere else. But that’s a future thing.

The more you tighten your grip, the more will slip through your fingers. Everyone is fine with Steam because they’re mostly benevolent, even if with (exaggerated) issues, but that would mean the end of that on the back of the mind of most people. Of course, they could always charge a fee or something if devs don’t follow through, even if someone else ends up paying it.

That’s an interesting point, but there’s a significant difference here. The cases you’ve outlined are of instances where, without the participation of the publisher, the content creator almost certainly cannot succeed. Without the exposure/resources provided externally, these actors/authors/indie movie directors will either wither away or keep a tiny audience. Due to digital publishing, this simply isn’t the case for the developers on steam. In fact, the very test that Epic uses - whether there is a sufficient following present - means that the devs Epic chooses are precisely those who already possess everything they need to succeed. Epic is simply a rent seeker in this game, providing a small percentage of its rent to the nervous developer who it already checked will do fine. In fact, at this stage at least, it is an ‘anti-publisher’, as it is taking the developer off the platform(s) where the main stage is, as well as creating ill will towards the developer. It’s like a Hollywood mogul who discovers an amazing acting talent, only to give her some cash and have her put on a play in his private club for his friends.

What you’re talking about does exist – there are Indies who do not have the exposure or the means, and what they do is find publishers, big or small, who supply services such as advertising, cash, etc for a percentage of the profits.

Luckily, those indie developers that received the offer aren’t required to take it.

It’s not like they are made an offer they can’t refuse.

By the way, what is the math for a developer? It takes 4 sales on Epic to make the same amount as 5 sales on steam, correct? So, as long as Epic guarantees 4/5 of the sales that the developer things they will make on steam, the developer is breaking even.
And, if the sales go above that, the developers still gets to keep, correct?

Has anyone done the math?

EGS PC exclusive. Wonder how the massive previous games mod community feels about this?

Deleted

Is Steam the Azathoth “Idiot God” of PC Gaming? They control all reality because it is but a mere dream, and if they wake up everything ends?

So Epic is like a Mi-go or some shit.

Also this dropped 2 days ago and I didn’t even see it mentioned anywhere.

Did they pick the most annoying music possible? Also why are the dates all out of order?

It would be nice if you could follow the argument. The argument was that EGS would end up leading to more and better games because of them offering a better revenue split to developers. My point is that because they are limiting their selection of games, this is unlikely to have a large impact for PC gaming. It has nothing to do with what people should or shouldn’t be able to do. Understand now?

Okay, but for a handful of people, it will make life a little better. I think we can celebrate that, don’t you?

That’s subjective and highly unlikely. The amount of money you throw at a game’s dev doesn’t automagically translate to a better game. And regardless of the nonsense spouted by devs in support of this, the added revenue doesn’t also automagically translate to more investment in the game’s dev. That’s just pure and utter nonsense. Yes, a higher royalty split is always great, but that revenue comes after - not before - the fact.

Just to make sure it was clear, Grifman was rebutting that argument, not making it.

They’re not doing that. They’re offering exclusives to popular games that are either complete or very near completion. Literally limited risk.

Yes - thanks. I am aware. That’s why I highlighted the quote because I didn’t want to go to the original and thus lose the context of what Grifman was alluding to.

A new challenger appears…Derek S. Mart…

Just what the doctor order! -_-

I sorta enjoy when Derek arrives in a thread.

Everyone’s opinion provides some unique insight. :D

My thoughts exactly!

I will leave the poll open a few more days, probably close it this weekend, it can be seen as a snapshot of the summer and where everyone stands. I can make up another for the winter and see if there are any shifts.

Well if you want to entice the Fortnite kids to spend their parent’s money on the EGS beyond Vbucks you kinda have to go that route. ;-P