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PayPalEpic Games have now officially announced their own store, which is certainly going to be one to keep an eye on.
I've been saying it for a while, especially after being privately shown screenshots of their newer launcher that Epic would be doing their own store. I was right on the money—for once.
Soon we'll launch the Epic Games store, and begin a long journey to advance the cause of all developers. The store will launch with a hand-curated set of games on PC and Mac, then it will open up more broadly to other games and to Android and other open platforms throughout 2019.
Emphasis mine, because that could indicate Epic finally moving towards properly supporting Linux. I mean, apart from Windows, Mac and Android - what other open platforms are left that would be worth it? Linux. Apple have a very locked-down platform on mobile, so I would be doubtful of it going there. Same with the consoles, they're locked down.
The interesting thing here, is that Epic quite rightly have a massive pull in the industry. Fornite, only available through their launcher is the number 1 game in the world right now. Everyone knows what it is and so it's going to give Epic Games a good chance to be a very big store.
Not only that, their revenue share is 88% for developers, which is massive compared to most (better than Steam's). On top of that, if you're using Unreal Engine for your game Epic will even cover the 5% engine royalty in their cut. Although, to be clear, they state their store will be open to any game engine.
This is going to be a massive kick up Valve's backside to do better at everything. I'm all for it, competition is healthy even if I do groan at times at "yet another launcher". Epic have been doing good work with their community, so hopefully we will be able to get in on this next year. Heck, if Fortnite came to Linux—my son and I would be over the moon with joy. But I don't want to get too ahead of myself there…
What are your thoughts?
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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The comments on this article are closed.
Quoting: Purple Library GuyApple are really trying hard to be useless for gaming, huh?
They are obsessed with mobile cash cow and don't care about gaming or even about their own PC users, so it's not surprising.
2 Likes, Who?
Comandante Ñoñardo Dec 5, 2018
If they don't accept Argentinian pesos CASH, I am not interested.
Steam and Greenmangaming are the only stores that accept Argentinian pesos CASH via Rapipago and Pagofacil.
Steam and Greenmangaming are the only stores that accept Argentinian pesos CASH via Rapipago and Pagofacil.
2 Likes, Who?
Quoting: Guesti'll believe it when i see it. If they put their launcher to linux and have support for some of their games.Well to be fair itch.io is also getting there more and more and their launcher is actually quite great ...
Look at GOG where is the launcher for that?
People are just not giving linux a chance at all and it is sad.
Valve has really been the only one to give it a shot and it has helped linux a great deal when it comes to being a decent game platform.
I am hoping 2019 is a very very big year for linux.
Outside of that minor precision I share your point of view though. I'll believe it when they port it to linux and have a linux build for Fortnite now I'll be taking them seriously ...
Last edited by TheSyldat on 5 December 2018 at 1:51 am UTC
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i think an stronger valve will be better for us in the short time, then in the long time we will need competition for then.
they cant compete with microsoft in the OS right now, they need to be stronger to do that, but i dont see they geting any stronger
they cant compete with microsoft in the OS right now, they need to be stronger to do that, but i dont see they geting any stronger
1 Likes, Who?
Nevertheless Dec 5, 2018
Quoting: mylkaQuoting: GuestQuoting: mylkaQuoting: GuestThat explains the recent Valve royalty cut...
Valve is very greedy and lazy. And sadly they don't show signs of improving. They will only really try to change their ways when it is too late, as is always the case...
you say that after all they did for linux (client, steamOS, wine/proton, dxvk, mesa) for free
Well, they're doing it because it benefits them. Yes, it's of benefit to the general GNU/Linux community too, but I wouldn't quite say "free" (Valve would expect something to come of it, or they wouldn't invest). Subtle difference, but important: and no flame wars, this is a good showcase of how a company can invest in open source software for their own benefit, without trampling on user rights.
Anyway, Valve have done plenty of shady things as well. Let's not forget the paid mod fiasco. They've steadily reduced their own effort in managing their own marketplace (trying to make it community run basically means they don't have to do anything except gather the cash). That point is going to stir a few emotions I'm sure, but it's good business sense really: get others to do the work for you. I wouldn't put it quite to the extreme of greedy and lazy, but neither are Valve going to put in more effort than they have to.
Oh, and Valve do try improve because they know that if they don't, the success with Steam that they've had won't last. They've been working to give themselves a direction, a way out of stagnation. I think there's even a video of Newell saying that somewhere.
Please please please people don't read this as attacking (quite often people do). I'm not. Valve aren't golden heroes, but neither are they murky villains. They're just doing good business, and obviously GNU/Linux is, or Valve believes has the potential for, good (desktop) business.
i dont think they make the big bucks with linux
of course they wont lose money with their linux support, but if linux would be so profitable, than gog, ea, uplay, and epic already had linux support for their clients and/or their top sellers like witcher 3, battlefield, call of duty, assassins creed, fortnite, etc
so dont underestimate the effort, because the other big players just dont care about linux
Valve needs Linux, because it's bound to be open. No one can own Linux and shut it down like Windows walled gardens. So Valve invested in openness! Maybe Epic sees that now too...
1 Likes, Who?
Quoting: NeverthelessQuoting: mylkaQuoting: GuestQuoting: mylkaQuoting: GuestThat explains the recent Valve royalty cut...
Valve is very greedy and lazy. And sadly they don't show signs of improving. They will only really try to change their ways when it is too late, as is always the case...
you say that after all they did for linux (client, steamOS, wine/proton, dxvk, mesa) for free
Well, they're doing it because it benefits them. Yes, it's of benefit to the general GNU/Linux community too, but I wouldn't quite say "free" (Valve would expect something to come of it, or they wouldn't invest). Subtle difference, but important: and no flame wars, this is a good showcase of how a company can invest in open source software for their own benefit, without trampling on user rights.
Anyway, Valve have done plenty of shady things as well. Let's not forget the paid mod fiasco. They've steadily reduced their own effort in managing their own marketplace (trying to make it community run basically means they don't have to do anything except gather the cash). That point is going to stir a few emotions I'm sure, but it's good business sense really: get others to do the work for you. I wouldn't put it quite to the extreme of greedy and lazy, but neither are Valve going to put in more effort than they have to.
Oh, and Valve do try improve because they know that if they don't, the success with Steam that they've had won't last. They've been working to give themselves a direction, a way out of stagnation. I think there's even a video of Newell saying that somewhere.
Please please please people don't read this as attacking (quite often people do). I'm not. Valve aren't golden heroes, but neither are they murky villains. They're just doing good business, and obviously GNU/Linux is, or Valve believes has the potential for, good (desktop) business.
i dont think they make the big bucks with linux
of course they wont lose money with their linux support, but if linux would be so profitable, than gog, ea, uplay, and epic already had linux support for their clients and/or their top sellers like witcher 3, battlefield, call of duty, assassins creed, fortnite, etc
so dont underestimate the effort, because the other big players just dont care about linux
Valve needs Linux, because it's bound to be open. No one can own Linux and shut it down like Windows walled gardens. So Valve invested in openness! Maybe Epic sees that now too...
i get it, but whats the point of openness, if no one uses linux? as i said. if MS makes games unplayable tomorrow, what would pc gamers do? switch to linux, mac, or buy a console?
i cant tell.
Quoting: elmapuli think an stronger valve will be better for us in the short time, then in the long time we will need competition for then.
they cant compete with microsoft in the OS right now, they need to be stronger to do that, but i dont see they geting any stronger
it is not that easy.
1) they have to make a linux client
2) they need proton, or else they wont get the linux gamers.
3) they just have 1 game as a selling point. fortnite. i dont play fortnite
4) are games cheaper, because epic just takes 12%? ubisoft games cost the same on uplay and steam. if it is not MUCH cheaper and they dont have more exclusive titles, why would i leave steam?
we are far away from competition
1 Likes, Who?
GeoGalvanic Dec 5, 2018
I don't follow consoles so I may be wrong, but isn't the Switch considered "open"?
I've always found it odd that the engine is supposedly good for linux yet their own games support everything but linux...
I'm not really anticipating much coming from them, especially anytime soon.
Last edited by GeoGalvanic on 5 December 2018 at 4:13 am UTC
I've always found it odd that the engine is supposedly good for linux yet their own games support everything but linux...
I'm not really anticipating much coming from them, especially anytime soon.
Last edited by GeoGalvanic on 5 December 2018 at 4:13 am UTC
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On "Fortnite" -- is there anyone else who gets annoyed when someone names a game by misspelling a word?
No? Just me? Ah well.
No? Just me? Ah well.
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Quoting: YoRHa-2BExcept there's this tweet which is basically a big fat "Nope".So basically the CEO of Epic right now thinks the only reason people use GNU/Linux is for political reasons? Why is it always the most clueless people who end up in positions of power?
I know it's just an analogy but I cannot imagine someone making a comment like that if they thought people were using it for technological reasons.
I'm sure there are more intelligent employees at Epic, but as long as this guy is CEO I doubt we can count on them for much. I'm not sure I'd even be surprised to hear one day that they drop support for GNU/Linux in UE4. They sure don't seem keen on fixing any of our bugs, and they themselves won't build their games on our platform. So it stands to reason that getting complaints about problems from developers who _are_ supporting our platform is probably seen as an annoyance.
Last edited by ison111 on 5 December 2018 at 6:26 am UTC
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Quoting: wvstolzingQuoting: Whitewolfe80Eh theres already origin uplay they competetion just not under linux
Epic is planning to sell other companies' games too, and they offer 'competitive' percentages as to what the respective 'cuts' will be. I'm not sure about 'Origin' (haven't used it in ages); but on their storefront, ubisoft doesn't sell 3rd party games.
Origin and u play both sell other companies games dude they have done for ages
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