Epic 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.
Since they apparently had around 80Million people play last month over the course of the month.
Fortnite is pretty much now their Store advertising tool and releasing it at the start of a new season lots of people are going to see it!
Also starting next week a game in the epic store will be available to play for free during a 2 week period.
Then a different game goes on a free 2 week period after the last game, the first game is subnautica.
So fortnite free advertising and try a game for 2 weeks for free to see if you want to buy it.
Quoting: BdMdesigNQuoting: elmapul...
What to hell you are talking?
1. All games you are list are not Windows Store Exclusive. I talk from Universal Windows Apps (Games) and this are Windows 10 / XBOX Exclusive. Can you buy "Sea of Thieves" as exemple outside from the Windows store? No!
2. the Unreal Engine is not open source software!
3. i never sayed thats Devs will not use the Unreal Engine, but don't make Games Epic Store Exyclusive! I never talked about the UE4. Read my post again.
I talked ONLY about the Shop!
1)when quantum break relased on xbox, it was an xbox exclusive, then they tried to 1port to windows but to make it an windows store exclusive then they launched it on steam.
sea of thievs is not avaliable for steam? so what? there is no evidence that it will never be.
and AFAIK there are already some UWP titles on steam, there is nothing that prevent UWP from being distributed on other stores.
2)the entire Unreal Engine source code is available on our GitHub page
https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/ue4-on-github
its not FREE Software, but it IS open source, its not royalite free but it IS open source.
3)as i said many devs are already leaving steam in favor of their own stores on pc.
if its cheaper to publish on epic store than run their own store, and cheaper to run their own store than publish on steam, they will have an big incentive to do so.
https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/ue4-on-github
its not FREE Software, but it IS open source, its not royalite free but it IS open source."
Not according to the Open Source Definition: https://opensource.org/osd-annotated
Quoting: GuestQuoting: KristianNot according to the Open Source Definition: https://opensource.org/osd-annotatedStill open source, though.
The term "open source" can mean more than one thing. For example intelligence agencies use the term to mean something entirely different. But in the software industry, abuses of the term notwithstanding, "open source" refers to the movement in the late 90s for making "free software" more palpable to business that led to Netscape's source being opened. That movement created that definition. They get to define their term. Unreal Engine 4 is not open source.
LinuxGamesTV Dec 9, 2018
Git Hub != Open Source warranty.
Did you ever read your links? Read the "UNREAL® ENGINE END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT" https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/eula and you will see: the UE is not open source software. But you have the rigts to put you content under the BSD License, MIT License, Microsoft Public License, or Apache License but not under GNU General Public License (GPL), Lesser GPL (LGPL):
"(ii) Non-Compatible Licenses
You may not combine, Distribute, or otherwise use the Licensed Technology with any code or other content which is covered by a license that would directly or indirectly require that all or part of the Licensed Technology be governed under any terms other than those of this Agreement (“Non-Compatible License”). Code or content under the following licenses, for example, are prohibited: GNU General Public License (GPL), Lesser GPL (LGPL) (unless you are merely dynamically linking a shared library), or Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Code or content under the following licenses, for example, are allowed: BSD License, MIT License, Microsoft Public License, or Apache License. You may not sublicense the Licensed Technology under a Non-Compatible License."
If the UE4 was realy open source you don't have a "UNREAL® ENGINE END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT", you have only a open source license and you can get easy the source code, without any registration on git hub or a commercial site.
I used Git Hub for a Game Mod, too. Did that mean the Mod is open source because you can get it for free but not from Git Hub because you don't have access on the Hub?
No!
I'm out now.
Last edited by LinuxGamesTV on 9 December 2018 at 2:38 pm UTC
I was asking around, and no one seems to know.
Last edited by Shmerl on 9 December 2018 at 7:26 pm UTC
Quoting: ShmerlSo the store is out. Does anyone know if they provide any DRM-free options in GOG / itch.io style? I.e. downloadable packages that don't require any client?
I was asking around, and no one seems to know.
Do they actually sell anything right now? When they opened, everything was on "coming soon". That said, I seriously doubt you'll be able to do anything without the Epic Launcher.
Quoting: EhvisDo they actually sell anything right now? When they opened, everything was on "coming soon". That said, I seriously doubt you'll be able to do anything without the Epic Launcher.
Why not? If they claimed they don't enforce any DRM themselves, nothing stops them from providing DRM-free packages as long as developers that sell through them aren't DRM proponents. I don't expect them to be like GOG, but they can be at least like Humble and sell some games DRM-free.
Last edited by Shmerl on 9 December 2018 at 10:12 pm UTC
Fortnite isn't on Google Play, BTW.
https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/10/17675054/google-play-store-android-fortnite-battle-royale
Comandante Ñoñardo Dec 12, 2018
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