5255

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.

5256

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?

5257

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

5258

Deleted

5259

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.

5260

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?

5261

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?

5262

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

5263

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.

5264

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

5265

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

5266

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.

5267

A new challenger appears…Derek S. Mart…

Just what the doctor order! -_-

5268

I sorta enjoy when Derek arrives in a thread.

Everyone’s opinion provides some unique insight. :D

5269

My thoughts exactly!

5270

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.

5271

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

5272

Of course it is. I didn’t know that was ever a question.

Epic is building a store of games that are popular. They are offering better revenue to the developers to do it.

On the other side the consumer loses access to some great steam features for at least a year (when it will be on Steam) but, you should have a less cluttered store with a greater percentage of popular games.

Is it worth it? Probably not for everyone but if you want the game, you need to go to Epic. And if you don’t, or are willing to wait a year, then you have other options.

On the upside, in one year, we will see games that are available on both steam and epic, and gamers will have a choice. Hopefully, by that time, the Epic Store will either be good enough, or the games will be cheap enough that the choice will matter. Hopefully, by that time, people won’t be worried that Epic will go bankrupt and the games will disappear, like Impulse did.

Hopefully by that time, Epic will have enough of your friends on it or you will have a library that is big enough on their that Steam isn’t a necessity, because that’s were all your stuff is.

Hopefully enough developers will have the option to go to Epic, and get a bigger slice of the pie, that steam will be forced to respond by offering more money back to developers themselves.

At least, that is the road map that I see.

Anyway, I say, vote with your wallets. It’s what you do when it comes to a product or a service.

I am hopeful, but in the mean time. Free GAMES!

5273

It’s just kind of a techno beat thing… what’s the issue with the music?

5274

I am Gen X, grew up in 70/80’s and from a very young age was constantly subjected to commercials. This helped lead me to the realization that every commercial and the companies behind them are searching for “something”. That something is not world peace, clean oceans, income equality, etc. That “something” is money. I feel like maybe that has been forgotten by some in this thread from time to time.

The deciders at Epic were probably not sitting around a table thinking,

“We have all this money, whats the worlds number one problem that we could help fix? You know Bill, I agree, it is obviously that small segment of Video Game Developers (not Ubi or EA, cause they will get their nut regardless and not the developers who make niche pixel stuff) who are not getting a big enough cut of their sales. Lets fix this problem and make a store! and only charge 12%.”

They may have instead been thinking,

“What are three business that do not make anything but money? Banking, Insurance and Video Game Electronic Store Fronts. We already know something about games, lets do that and make this pile of money bigger!”

The bigger cut to Devs and cash up front = draw Developers to sell in a less established store, with fewer shoppers. Exclusives = increased shoppers. Epic press releases talking about how they think Developers are getting a bad shake = PR.

The “slimeyness” some people in this thread have mentioned is the disconnect between the PR reason of “helping Devs” and the real reason, “to build market share.”

None of this is wrong or evil or new. I just feel like some people have forgotten that everything they read or see has an agenda behind it.

Taking Drug XYZ will not make your children visit more often in glorious backyard barbecues where everyone laughs at everyone’s jokes. The local news is not waiting until 11 to tell you which neighborhood could blow up because they need more time to research the story. Epic Games is not offering a better cut because they saw an injustice and needed to make it right.