I would say as it currently is not that much, but is much closer to be competitive than EGS. Still, Steam seems to be wise enough to start allowing subscription on the service, as they will get EA Access this year.
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[PCWorld] A year in, the Epic Games Store's fight against Steam has made PC gaming better for everyone.
- Thread starter AshenOne
- Start date
You are right, it wasnt enough that they made PC community mostly leave this place.
And yet nothing was done about the trolls. This place is not toxic at all, nope.
I've used Game Pass on and off on PC for the last couple of months. Had only minor issues, and the sheer value of the subscription trumps any of them.
It's quite great when it works, although I've run into the issue of it not allowing me to install games on most of my hard drives and I don't know how to fix it. I have a 6TB drive, but I can only install games to my tiny SSDs (120-240GB), so I can barely install anything.
The joyful ignorance of goal post moving when people clearly outline issues perceived with the EGS tactics never gets old. The fact I'm happy to have sixty different store fronts does not then lessen my opinion that the EGS is a toxic blob on PC gaming at this time. With regional pricing on top of USD to AUD currency conversion, lacking UI elements expected in modern digital spaces (your library list is just a play button that's it), exclusivity poaching that causes scummy disruption and monopoly pricing and lacking technical support channels because reasons.
The EGS should be a stalwart for gamers to have alternative shopping choices on games across many stores. It shouldn't be abusing Fortnite money but instead focusing it on bettering an open platform that offers choice to the customer.
The EGS should be a stalwart for gamers to have alternative shopping choices on games across many stores. It shouldn't be abusing Fortnite money but instead focusing it on bettering an open platform that offers choice to the customer.
No one has a problem with the positive aspects of the Epic Games Store. If EGS has purely been good for you, then that's good for you.
To an extent it's ok to be ignorant about something, but a year later coming into a thread about something you don't seem to care about, and clearly haven't cared to inform yourself about, just to dismiss and mock people who are negatively impacted by it, is incomprehensible to me.
The "I don't know/care about the negative aspects, fuck the people impacted by them, I got mine" argument is an extremely bad and tired argument.
EGS exclusive games have a tendency to become more expensive, is one thing that people continue to ignore so they can for some reason shit on us who have a problem with EGS. Like, if you don't think losing money matters then please send me some.
I will say that EGS has gotten better in regards to pricing. But whether driven by Epic or publishers, EGS feels much more in control of pricing. EGS is more restrictive in regards to where EGS keys can be distributed, and I have no idea what their various exclusivity contracts dictate. Control isn't available on GMG for instance. Is that a 505 or Epic decision? Who knows? But it doesn't really matter, the end result does.
It's more or less on a case by case basis, and I can only speak for my own region, but if a full priced game is EGS exclusive, it could be €60 until there's a sale, up to 30% more than I'd might otherwise be asked to pay for a non-EGS key. Availability in one of the like three third party stores EGS works with, is not certain, and if it is, the discount you typically get in a store like GMG might not exist, or it might be lower than it would've been for a non-EGS key, which seems likely due to the profit margin for stores being significantly lower for EGS keys. 30% is generally the standard revenue share, it's 12% with EGS.
GMG has to be losing money on EGS keys if their discount cuts too deep. Don't know how that's working out for them. Third party stores getting pushed out of business or becoming unable to offer savings to customers is of some concern, and something I care about because that's how I can afford games. If that stops being an option, I'll either buy less games or I'll go to keyshops. Doesn't seem like a great thing for developers.
But I suppose we're to trust that Epic knows what they're doing. It's good for us and developers, they say. Why wouldn't you trust a company with the expertise and foresight to launch a store without a cart and that triggered fraud detection if people made too many purchases during a sale? That made a roadmap public only to have multiple features pushed back until they eventually took the roadmap down? And whatever else I may have forgotten.
Like I said, I sense that things have improved. I'm not exactly keeping track of all the EGS games, but I know Control was at a decent price during the recent sale, granted it reached that level much later than it probably would've otherwise. EGS is still new, we don't really know exactly how things will unfold, and I'm not investing anything in this platform until I feel I can trust I won't get screwed.
One thing I might relent on though is my decision to not register an account at all. I might perhaps do that if there's a free game I think I'd care to play.
User Warned: Inflammatory comment
I have a hard time taking the outrage against EGS here in a serious manner when Valve was called out during the HK protestors where they low key supported the regime and that thread got extremely few response or anything here... while every thread on EGS massive amount of poster come in and shot on EGS.
Even that would actually be an improvement over what is posted. Because at least it would recognize that people are impacted by negative aspect as they have argued over multiple post with very specific example. It would just be a poster not caring for it as much as he care for his own benefites ( free games or whatever ).
But no, what we get is people ignoring those argument over those negative aspects to portray the opposition only as being platform warrior/fanboy who have zero factual argument for their position.
On another unrelated note, whataboutism is already comfirmed to still be a thing on the first day of 2020. :/
All people said it was a shit move. There was no discussion. On the other hand every EGS topic has the concern people calling against the bad evil Steam monopoly, so there is discussion. Same thing with positive Steam news, they just die because there is no discussion.
It's all about how I attain value. I think Anno 1800 with season pass is worth what I paid on Epic. That's the great thing about the PC, there are tons of options out there and I think Epic is also a valid one. Red Dead Redemption 2 is another game I think I did alright on with the Epic sale. Steam has also countered with the timed exclusives so I doubt we will see what we've seen in the past with big AAA games being exclusive on Epic for a year.
Not sure I follow, Epic has no subscription fees and if I think Game Pass no longer offers good value to me it's not a marriage, I can leave at any time.
Its just a false equivalence falacy, best thing to do is to ignore it.
Paid 10 bucks for Control last week on EGS.
Amazing game, amazing price.
Keep up the good work and the low prices. 🙂
Amazing game, amazing price.
Keep up the good work and the low prices. 🙂
I suppose Epic accepting such a huge investment from Tencent must also ruffle your feathers. You know, if we're being consistent here.
They don't lol
While some people worry about communities and shopping carts, I'm discovering and playing great games (free and also some with great prices.. the outer worlds was a steal!)
That's why it changed at least my "PC gaming" for the best.
That's why it changed at least my "PC gaming" for the best.
Your original post said "Almost sounds like a Game Pass thread.", my point was MS can take the hit since they still get revenue from the subs, whereas Epic get nothing from people opening the launcher to redeem a free game and then closing it.
My original comment was in regards to what ifs. I keep hearing these made up arguments to try and create a negative image of it's too good to be true. Sure one can make up the argument Epic throwing money away but I will take the free games and the deals regardless. Epic is obviously subsidizing potential losses to those devs same way Microsoft is in hopes they can both retain repeat customers. On the PC it's going to be tougher for Epic in the long run.
There IS actually a fix for this but it's a bastard and I cant even remember what it is right now. Its the most stupid unrelated setting in windows 10 though and if you untick the box it will work.
Its been this way for years now and the fact it's not fixed is mind boggling. I'll see if I can dig up the fix for you
Right. Lol they gave away free shit. GAME
CHANGER! /s
Personally I haven't played any of the games they gave away for free because I have them all some where else. I haven't had one compelling reason to buy from them over steam considering I can get steam keys cheap from Humble, from Fanatical, etc.
Oh hey I found that fix. Quoting myself from the Outer Worlds thread since I csnt even find the fix via google anymore. Fingers crossed it works for you.
It's kind of cute how easily people's preferences are manipulated, especially if they don't really care about the long term health of PC gaming
At this point is hard to know if Epic is paying journalists to support them. GameSpot wrote something simular recently.
I don't think I'd call it disgusting but I think the epic store is certainly misguided.
also, since we are talking about competition I would expect this to work both ways. Epic should be improving their store front. It they aren't. That's a big deal and that's why valve is of afraid of them.
The last thing I'd point out is the backlash to the epic store seems centered around the idea that PC gaming is an open platform while epic, as the poster stated above, is going for a more console approach. I think that's a huge part of the issue. If I was a developer I wouldn't take a money hat from epic simply because the blowback wouldn't be worth it. Look at Shenmue and Borderlands. Games that people we're looking forward to took a real PR beating just because of the store front.
Bottom line, this article is trash and it's really just the guy screaming how great free games are. That's not an industry game changer.
I did, in fact, for 3 months.
I played a lot on games on it, had a lot of problems as well. I could say i tasted the entire pc game pass beta experience with its all positive and negative points.
I wouldn't say it's a threat to Steam but it's relevant to the pc scene. I can safely see it as competition and i'm positive Valve and Gaben are taking a lot of notes. It still has much to change, both in functionality and price.
Meanwhile, EGS is still that thing that makes the Steam games release later but also has free stuff to compensate. There's absolutely zero things on EGS that made any progress in the PC gaming scene.
Edit: Something positive that i could say about EGS is the fact i can play the games without starting the client. It would be real progress if Steam followed this feature. But Valve doesn't seem to care.
Free games, regional pricing for where I live so games are way more affordable, lotsa good sales
The client could use some improvement, but still overall I like EGS
The client could use some improvement, but still overall I like EGS
It would've been industry changer a decade ago. Epic Store really feels like Steam from decade ago (with more modern UI in good and bad), in that way it is accurate. :P
We all take free games nowdays granted but it's not actually that long ago it was new I think Steam had first one's in 2009 or so, but first were limited to certain hardware. (But both Nvidia and ATI had one). Back then you were lucky to get one free game a year, 2011 portal, 2012 metro 2033, and now we get multiple games a week). Gamepass always has $1 deals (though not permanent ownership), Fun times indeed.
Journalists aren't going to speak out against shitty business tactics in the industry. This is their bread and butter, and they don't relate to customers or how this affects them.
Epic is huge advertiser (similar to big publishers), ad funds literally keep these sites alive, so you might not wanna make those angry for that reason either.
And Valve is big exception as they don't really advertise at all.
And clickbaity articles are good way to get views too.
And Valve is big exception as they don't really advertise at all.
And clickbaity articles are good way to get views too.
You can really tell which people actually have any experience in PC gaming, when they exclaim EGS for their free games, as if they were the only ones to do so.
Or the free games let them 'discover' new games, when all of them so far, have been the top indie games of the past few years.
Not paying much attention for supposed "PC gamers"
Or the free games let them 'discover' new games, when all of them so far, have been the top indie games of the past few years.
Not paying much attention for supposed "PC gamers"
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Or when they talk about competition being good and the multistore future, something that has been a thing for... 10 years.
I don't mind the Epic Store at all. The free games are nice, and if there is an exclusive I want, the store is not gonna stop me from getting it. I will still get everything on Steam if it's available there. And while the store is pretty barebones compared to Steam, pressing play and playing the game still works, so I don't really see the big deal.
I don't really see the big deal with them paying for exclusives either. The devs/publishers get their money and costumers don't really gett affected other than having to download a new client. The only one who can lose in this is Epic.
I don't really see the big deal with them paying for exclusives either. The devs/publishers get their money and costumers don't really gett affected other than having to download a new client. The only one who can lose in this is Epic.
If you use the features Steam has to offer, or care about having all your games in one library, you'll get affected in a big way.
It depends on how many of those features of Steam you need. Losing Steam is like falling back to Windows XP. Sure it's functional and you can get stuff to run, but that's about it.
And you know, it's not that I can't see the value of a competitive store, if it has a hook of it's own. Like GoG's library of old games.
But EGS simply doesn't bring anything new to the market, except for trying to monopolize games and forcing people to use it.
Sure, I guess, but that's not exclusive to EGS. MS store, Origins, Uplay, GOG has been around forever, so having everything in one place has already been a thing of the past. I just use GOG Galaxy for it anyway.
We have very specific examples of games which were available for preorder on steam ( and thus steam key on multiple other store ) becoming more expensive ( up to 50% ) than the previous best deal, the second the EGS deal made them remove the game from Steam.
And that's ignoring the ability to use family share to save money on some games ( like I do with my parents and brother ).
And the other features that steam offer (yes I get that not everyone makes use them ).
This is not just another client to download..
Competition that benefits customers is good.
Good: Decent sales and promotions
Bad: Paying money to prevent competing stores from selling a damn game.
There's a big difference, and not all "competition" is beneficial to the user.
I have a large collection of games that I probably wouldnt have bought if it weren't for egs.
This is why I like gamepass as well
Have found some great games . If only I had the time to try them all.
This is why I like gamepass as well
Have found some great games . If only I had the time to try them all.
Article was pretty poor, but yes Epic has become my defacto launcher. Its open more than any other on my PC and i really enjoyed it actually. Steam finally shifted its library view to be more pleasing and Ive used it a bit more in the last few months, but im quite happy with spending my time and money on EGS
MS now release most of their games on Steam. The same with CDPR, EA, and Ubisoft did it before getting paid not to by Epic. I can still deal with Steam only.