Epic hasn’t been saying Epic Video games Retailer exclusivity offers on the price it as soon as was, but when it appeared like one of many least-popular PC gaming enterprise methods of the previous decade was on the way in which out: it ain’t.
In a name concerning the new Epic Video games Retailer self-publishing instruments (opens in new tab) earlier this week, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney advised me that the corporate hasn’t modified its philosophy round exclusives, but when it appears like there are fewer recently, that could be as a result of it is going after larger fish as of late.
“We’re actually honing our technique primarily based on what we noticed labored very well in earlier launches, and what did not work very well,” mentioned Sweeney. “A handful of main exclusives actually moved the needle … and the smaller video games, particularly video games that had a smaller viewers that was usually on Steam, we discovered that a number of these gamers weren’t prepared to maneuver over.”
A type of hit exclusives was Borderlands 3, which “has simply crushed, like, properly past the expectations of the builders and the publishers,” Epic Video games Retailer basic supervisor Steve Allison advised me on the identical name.
Additionally a part of Epic’s ongoing exclusivity technique is its comparatively new sport publishing wing, which is funding the event of a number of upcoming video games, together with Alan Wake 2 from Treatment, a brand new sport from Limbo developer Playdead, and a sport from The Final Guardian studio genDesign.
And if there have been any doubt that these video games can be Epic Video games Retailer exclusives, let or not it’s dispelled now. They are going to be unique for “a very long time,” Allison advised me.
These are simply the upcoming Epic-published video games we learn about. The corporate has about 14 video games in whole coming from publishing companions. That features PC Constructing Simulator 2, in addition to just a few video games from Fall Guys creator Mediatonic, which Epic purchased in 2021 and has a publishing operation of its personal. One other Epic-published sport from a small studio can be introduced at GDC, Allison says, and extra can be revealed later this yr.
Allison additionally advised me that they’ve seen publishers run timed Epic Retailer exclusives with none deal: They only need to benefit from Epic’s higher income share for his or her launch gross sales earlier than later releasing on Steam. That is why Rockstar put Crimson Useless Redemption 2 on the Epic Video games Retailer just a few weeks earlier than Steam, Allison advised me.
Except for exclusives, Epic can also be persevering with a way more widespread technique for bringing in new Epic Video games Retailer customers: making a gift of free video games. The corporate introduced right this moment (opens in new tab) that it will sustain the weekly giveaways it began in 2019 not less than by means of the remainder of 2023.