[OT] Epic Games Store : Where Price is just a number to get time exclusivity rights

Necrokiller

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Apr 16, 2009
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What would've been good for the industry is if Epic had formed new studios to work on new IPs instead of this moneyhat marathon. They ought to take lessons from Nintendo/Sony on creating value for their platform.
lol am I missing sarcasm in there? I have to be, right?

Because they're doing EXACTLY what Sony, Nintendo and to a lesser extent MS have been doing. Securing exclusivity aka 'creating value' for their platform and forgoing competition. Sony buys out already formed studios, creates them and/or funds projects for exclusivity.

Epic is buying out studios/publishers for year long exclusivity deals. Microsoft did this with Rise of The Tomb Raider. Nothing is stopping Epic from approaching the same studios in future for similar deals. Difference is, first party studios have been money-hatted for life by Sony while the developers want to remain autonomous in these EGS deals. Though I'm sure Fortnite money does give Epic the power to outright buy studios and some studios might even see value in that if the funding is generous. Again, similar principles as Sony buying studios. But I think it makes little sense for Epic to form new studios for a digital distribution platform.

Essentially Epic is bringing the same "console wars" definition of competition to the PC.
 
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CerebralTiger

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Because they're doing EXACTLY what Sony, Nintendo and to a lesser extent MS have been doing. Securing exclusivity aka 'creating value' for their platform and forgoing competition. Sony buys out already formed studios, creates them and/or funds projects for exclusivity.
Not even close to being the same. Epic locks in-development games for limited time exclusivity. It doesn't fund these games, nor does it have a stake in them. The games would've seen the light of day regardless of Epic lending the studio some money. Epic pays to limit their availability for a certain period, which is a bad practice.

Sony has indeed done what Epic is doing for some 3rd-party games this gen (like Nioh, for example, which released later on PC), as has MS, but the practice isn't common nowadays.

Now, as far as Sony/Nintendo's first-party is concerned, that is their own property. Once a studio is formed/bought, it is a part of Sony/Nintendo. The IPs are their own property. This is a valid and highly appreciated practice. It creates value for their platform without affecting games that were announced for release on multiple platforms. Even fully funding 3rd-party games that never would've otherwise happened (e.g. Bayonetta 2 and 3) is great.

Epic is buying out studios/publishers for year long exclusivity deals.
lol buying out means gaining a controllable stake in a company. Epic isn't doing so here. I think we'll need to get some of your definitions in order :hah:

Microsoft did this with Rise of The Tomb Raider.
The only correct example in your post. Microsoft money-hatted a 3rd-party game that was already in development and scheduled to release on the PS4 alongside the Xbox One and PC versions. Moreover, MS doesn't own the IP.

Difference is, first party studios have been money-hatted for life by Sony.
lol this is not at all what money-hat means. Sony/Nintendo can't money-hat what they own. These studios are on their payroll.

Though I'm sure Fortnite money does give Epic the power to outright buy studios and some studios might even see value in that if the funding is generous.
If Epic wishes to acquire a studio, and the latter agrees, it then belongs to the former. There is no question of "funding" from there onward.

But I think it makes little sense for Epic to form new studios for a digital distribution platform.
- Origin exclusively sells EA's games.
- Battle.net exclusively sells Activision Blizzard's games.
- Steam exclusively sells Valve's games.
- Bethesda is looking to exclusively sell their games on their store.
- Oculus funds and sells exclusive VR titles on their store.
- Stadia will have jaded first-party games.

These are all valid practices, as the games are produced by the store owners. This is the same as what Sony and Nintendo are doing.

Why do you think it makes little sense for Epic to do the same? They're already doing it with Fortnite, and it has worked pretty well for them.

Essentially Epic is bringing the same "console wars" definition of competition to the PC.
I was pointing towards the first-party output from Sony/Nintendo, not the console wars that have been fought over getting exclusive rights over 3rd-party titles. 3rd-party exclusivity is almost non-existent these days anyway.
 
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Necrokiller

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Why do you think it makes little sense for Epic to do the same? They're already doing it with Fortnite, and it has worked pretty well for them.
Because there already are studios making their life easier lol

You can look at exclusivity any way you want, but the motivation behind it is fundamentally the same. "Who would buy the game on our platform if its available on superior platforms?" :hah:
 
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manigamer

Respect Ma AuthoritA!!!
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Jun 28, 2007
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[h=1]Borderlands 3 and Other Titles Pulled From Epic Games Store Over Sale Prices[/h]

As a result of its unprecedentedly generous sale, some game publishers are pulling their titles from the Epic Games Store, including Gearbox Software's highly anticipated Borderlands 3. It seems that the digital distributor may have fully neglected to notify publishers of the final sale prices at which their games would be sold prior to the start of the Epic Mega Sale, a clear attempt to compete with Steam's famous sales.
Beyond attempting to compete with Steam on price-slashing sales, the Epic Games Store as a whole is a direct response to Steam's longtime domination of the digital distribution market. However, Epic has made it clear that they don't want to copy Steam's business model, instead opting to sweep potential major releases right out from under its feet by making expensive deals with publishers in exchange for Epic Games Store exclusivity on PC. And the Epic Store has made huge, largely negative waves in the PC gaming community in the past months doing just this, with notable examples being the exclusive launch of Borderlands 3 and the company's recent acquisition of Psyonix, the lauded developer of Rocket League.


However, it seems that Epic has now shifted its weight to not only step on the toes of PC players, but also the publishers whose exclusivity deals it depends on for survival. A
PC Gamer report notes that 2K Games' Borderlands 3, Paradox Interactive's Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2, and Klei Entertainment's Oxygen Not Included have been pulled from the Epic Games Store by their respective publishers. It appears the reason behind these games' sudden disappearance from the storefront is due to a dispute between the publishers and Epic over price changes brought on by the Epic Mega Sale, which takes $10 off any game priced at or above $15 on top of sale prices determined by publishers.



Bizarrely, it's likely that this pricing snafu could have been easily avoided had Epic simply communicated better with publishers, as it's the additional $10 off on Epic's side of things that resulted in the temporary mass exodus. Epic has since changed the way that pricing is displayed on the Epic Mega Sale main page, despite maintaining their promised $10 discount on games priced at $15 or greater, and Borderlands publisher 2K Games has stated,
"We are working closely with Epic and have temporarily removed Borderlands 3 from their storefront. We look forward to the game being back on the Epic Games Store very soon. Games bought during their Mega Sale will be honored at that price."

Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford recently went on record that his company believes the Epic Games Store is
the best way forward for PC gaming after a long period of stagnation and publisher discontentment under Steam. However, it's doubtful that the future he envisioned involved Epic undercutting the competition so steeply with Borderlands 3 that publisher 2K had to step in to prevent any more revenue from being lost before the game can even release.

Source:
PC Games
 

Chandoo

Resi Evil 4 > Your fav game.
Jan 19, 2007
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Tetris Effect coming to PC exclusively on the Epic Store.

Eurogamer :


The brilliant Tetris Effect - Eurogamer's Game of 2018 - will arrive on PC next week via the Epic Games Store. It'll be the first time it has been available anywhere other than PlayStation 4.

As on PS4, Tetris Effect is also designed for VR - and it'll arrive with both Oculus Rift and HTC Vive support ready to go.

This PC version will also offer extra graphical options - resolutions 4K and up are supported, with an uncapped framerate, ultra-wide monitor support and more.

Put down a pre-order before launch or buy Tetris Effect within its first two weeks and you'll get 20 per cent off, a sampler soundtrack, and desktop wallpapers.
 

Chandoo

Resi Evil 4 > Your fav game.
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The Epic Games Store exclusive game Tetris Effect requires Steam VR if you want to play it in VR.

Ironic.

 

Necrokiller

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Playing it on a 21:9 display is a massive downgrade though :hah:
eh, if you are referring to VR then its a distraction anyway :lol:

I'll never understand the love this game gets. It's supposed to be some sort of a transformative experience that sends you to another universe, but I could never see it as anything more than a visually captivating rendition of an age old classic.

Playing it in VR does enhance the experience considerably, but it also serves as a distraction. It's hard to focus on piecing together incoming blocks when there's so much going on in your surrounding. I suppose that's kind of the point but eh.
 

JKhan

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Are these douchebags for real??? :confused:

They're busy buying exclusives for their platform, yet can't spare the resources to bring over their own legacy titles. What an EPIC pile of (wtf)
 

Chandoo

Resi Evil 4 > Your fav game.
Jan 19, 2007
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Alan Wake and For Honor are free this week on EGS

 

CerebralTiger

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