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Epic Games Takes Aim at Apple and Steam with Zero-Commission Policy for Developers
In a move aimed directly at its competitors, Epic Games has announced a groundbreaking new policy for game developers. As of next month, the company will no longer charge a commission on sales up to $1 million per year, a significant shift in the gaming industry landscape.
This zero-commission policy is set to benefit smaller game development studios, which often struggle to make ends meet due to the high fees charged by platforms like Steam and Apple’s App Store. By waiving these charges for the first $1 million in revenue, Epic Games is effectively leveling the playing field for developers who may not have the resources to compete with larger studios.
In comparison, Steam takes a whopping 30 percent of sales as commission, while Apple’s App Store charges a staggering 15 percent on the first million in revenue. This increases to 30 percent once that threshold is met. Epic Games, on the other hand, will only take a standard rate of 12 percent after the initial $1 million milestone.
The company also announced plans to launch its “webshops” feature next month. These webshops will allow developers to sell their games directly to customers without having to go through Apple’s App Store or Steam. This move is a direct challenge to Apple’s dominance in the digital storefront space, as it would enable developers to avoid paying the aforementioned fees.
To entice developers to use this new feature, Epic Games has also announced that it will offer a five percent bonus in Epic Rewards for all purchases made through these webshops. The company has not specified whether this offer is limited time only or a permanent change.
It’s worth noting that Epic Games’ bold move comes on the heels of a significant court victory against Apple. A California court recently ordered Apple to cease collecting fees for purchases made outside of its App Store, paving the way for Epic Games to launch its webshops feature without restriction. The ruling also means that Fortnite will be returning to the US iOS App Store next week.
In a surprising move, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney has stated that he is willing to drop all pending litigation against Apple if the company agrees to extend this court ruling globally. This could potentially mark a major shift in the way digital storefronts operate and may have significant implications for the gaming industry as a whole.
It’s clear that Epic Games is taking aim at its competitors, Apple and Steam, with these new policies. Only time will tell if they pay off, but one thing is certain – this move has sent shockwaves through the tech community.
Source: https://www.engadget.com/gaming/epic-games-takes-aim-at-apple-and-steam-with-zero-commission-policy-for-developers-183956940.html?src=rss
