The PC platform wars rages on. With the Epic Games Store getting more and more infamy with its streak of exclusives, gamers are expressing their displeasure, albeit with questionable methods. But it looks like Valve can put an end to this, now that Epic Games has thrown down the gauntlet.
In response to another Twitter user, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said that if Steam decides to use a 88/12 revenue share ratio with “no major strings attached”, then Epic Games will stop doing exclusives, while still honouring existing deals. He goes on to say that that would be “a glorious moment in the history of PC gaming.”
If Steam committed to a permanent 88% revenue share for all developers and publishers without major strings attached, Epic would hastily organize a retreat from exclusives (while honoring our partner commitments) and consider putting our own games on Steam.
— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) April 25, 2019
For context, Steam uses a 70/30 model by default, and even at best, developers whose games make more than US$50 million get their revenue share ratio pushed to 80/20. Some would argue that such an aggressive push for exclusives is a necessity for Epic Games. As Discord’s 90/10 revenue share ratio is better, but Discord’s own game store isn’t exactly making waves the way the Epic Games Store is.
The entirety of the Tweet string makes for an interesting read, but the main takeaway here is that Epic Games is putting the ball in Valve’s court. And it’s fair to say that Valve’s next move is anyone’s guess. Steam is still by far the leading digital games distributor, so Valve has plenty of reason to remain unfazed. That said, there is potentially a lot to gain as well if the company does choose to accept Epic Games’ challenge.
(Source: Tim Sweeney / Twitter via Engadget)
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