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Tim Sweeney, founder of Epic Games, comments on current and future Epic Store exclusive games

114 Comments

In a series of tweets and Reddit posts, Tim Sweeney, the founder of Epic Games, has commented on the Epic Store exclusive games (that have so far caused a lot of controversy). According to Sweeney, Valve has every right to negotiate free or exclusive distribution deals with developers and believes that companies choosing to partner together openly and exchange money or other benefits isn’t bribery.

Sweeney also said that PC remains open, and there is more robust competition among PC stores than ever before.

“There’s Steam offering Valve games, Origin offering EA games, Battle.net offering Activision and Bungie games, Epic Games offering games from many publishers.

I get that you guys don’t like store-exclusive games, but that’s a completely separate, and PROCOMPETITIVE issue, compared to closing down platforms like Windows to monopolize distribution, as iOS does, and as Microsoft was trying to do with UWP and locked-down versions of Windows — which failed, and whose proponents are now gone and replaced with great leaders like Satya Nadella and Phil Spencer who are driving Windows forward as an open platform!”

Regarding the exclusive deal with Ubisoft for The Division 2, Sweeney had this to say.

Tim Sweeney claimed that both Epic Games and Ubisoft denied third-party stores to sell keys because of this exclusivity, and that developers/publishers can use third-party stores to sell keys for non-exclusive games that are releasing on the Epic Store.

As for the future, it appears that Epic Games will invest on more exclusive deails as, according to Sweeney, exclusives are by the far the most potent tool for their 88% revenue share making inroads against 70% stores.

114 thoughts on “Tim Sweeney, founder of Epic Games, comments on current and future Epic Store exclusive games”

  1. I guess when you don’t produce games to keep exclusively on your platform, the next easiest thing to do is just buy access exclusivity for other people’s games.

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    1. Indeed. His statements are so wilfully disingenuous that he makes the likes of Microsoft, EA, Ubisoft and Warner Bros appear to be relative amateurs at BSing the consumer.

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      1. Tim is a smart guy that I don’t think holds his critics in high regard or he’d use arguments that were a bit more difficult to counter.

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        1. Agreed. He’s painted himself into a corner whereby the disingenuous nature of his statements perhaps suggests an underlying lazy contempt for those criticising EGS or an inner-frustration with having to do Tencent’s bidding.

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  6. Any Epic Games Store software will be purchased through a third party key seller, the shadier and cheaper, the better it will be.

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    1. For me its Steam or Jack Sparrow. Sorry GOG I like you but I prefer Steam. In an alternate universe where Steam does not exist I would hope that GOG is the Steam of that universe

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        2. His most recent ‘Jimquisition’ video is titled “Screw Steam” and features the Epic Games Store logo in its thumbnail image. Such is his politically motivated hatred of Steam (it’s now the default NPC programming) that he’s lost all sense of judgement by throwing his support behind the cancer that is Epic Games Store.

          This comes on the back of numerous other anti-Steam screeds from him and his far Left anti-capitalist ilk (soyboy activists at Polygon, PC Gamer, Eurogamer, etc) that all originally stems from Steam having refused to deplatform aka ban content from devs who dare to not subscribe to the SJW hive mind. Sterling and his ilk have been on an anti-Steam crusade ever since and this is his latest in an ongoing campaign.

          Jim Sterling, the one-time defender of consumer rights, has now chosen to support the hideously anti-consumer Epic Games Store because Valve won’t dance to his NPC tune*. This is but the latest infantile crying and stamping of feet from him and other SJW snowflakes in the effort to push their narrative simply because Valve won’t cave in to their demands. It seems to enrage them that Gaben quite rightly doesn’t give a damn for their endless bleating, tantrums and poisonous politically motivated agenda.

          If he’s smart then he’ll soon realise what a huge mistake he’s making in supporting Epic Games Store (over 10,000 dislikes for said video) but his brain has seemingly already atrophied from SJW poison so, with all logic and reasoning having long since departed, his likely response will be to double down on the stupidity and consequently further erode his credibility.

          * albeit Steam is now worryingly changing how user reviews are presented which effectively acts to limit freedom of speech in favour of dev’s being protected from so-called review bombing. Not good.

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          1. It’s not “so-called” review bombing. It IS review bombing. Changing the review of a game to negative because you don’t like what the publisher did with a DIFFERENT game is review bombing.
            The policy states that it flags sudden influxes of negative reviews, and then someone at Steam checks to see what the content of them is. If it’s due to a patch the makes the game suddenly awful, the reviews keep their effect on the game’s rating. If they’re because some streamer got their panties in a wad over some perceived slight and got their followers to assault the review page, then they’re removed from the overall scoring system but remain readable.

        3. He is but he’s “counter culture” and counter culture is popular with stupid douchecanoes to the extent that it’s actually mainstream.

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      2. I canceled my subscription to PC Gamer paper magazines, and stopped reading their website some time ago. I am so sick of their liberal politics, criticising Steam for not censoring opinions, and trying to decide if games are art or not LOL. I encourage everyone to live that crap bubble and get real somewhere else. Love DSOG and their comunity, for example 🙂

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        1. Yep, I also stopped buying the print-based magazine even though it’s written by a different team from those who produce the abysmal website. PC Gamer’s site is so appalling in terms of content, editorial, politicisation of gaming and the censorious conduct of its staff/moderators that it’s tainted the brand for me.

          So I’ve voted with my wallet by no longer buying the magazine and, on the rare occasion I visit the site, I ensure to have ad-blocker enabled so to not fund the spread of SJW cancer.

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  9. Valve just need to reduce their cut to 88% and that will put a stop to Epic’s exclusivity deals. If Valve did what Epic Store did on exclusive deals they most certainly would be called anti competitive and a monopoly because they’re using their market power, but they didn’t.

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    1. I did not say what he does is good, but he’s saying the truth instead of using some pr bullshit talk and one thing i agree is the fact that like i already said its not exclusives like a console exclusive or vr exclusive game.

      Its actually refreshing hearing him admitting in other words “our store have no chance against steam if we dont settle for exclusivity deals with developers”

      The issue is with those practice is that it can pave the way for other stores to do the same, it would be a nightmare if lets say EA origin will secure exclusivity with X game and Ubisoft Uplay will do the same with Y game.

      And it might push valve to do the same if they feel cornered.

      (They still go their games but in the case of uplay and origin they are the one making the games so they got the right to use their platform)

      I think valve should start making games again.

      And epic should not had to resort to scummy exclusives deal and let developers adopt their platform on their own accord.

      At the moment apart the free games epic offered like shadow complex remastered,sub nautica,etc… I did not buy anything on epic store yet because
      1. i have a huge backlog to keep me busy
      2. Eventually it will hit steam
      3. cloud saving is important to me
      4. this store is too young it might die as fast as it came i dont want to find myself buying a game i wont be able to use if this store fail close(and it might)
      5. heard reports that they are not secure enough

      But yea im clueless :p

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  13. Don’t worry Tim exclusive deals didn’t keep me from using your store. I was never going to use it anyway. Give me DRM free or nothing.

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    1. Yes, because there is no difference between any of these so called stores. The only true difference is GoG, DRM-Free. Everything else is the same rubbish.

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  15. TIM OH TIMMY BOY you never learn do you but since you didnt get the message the first time listen no one on PC wants third party exclusives make your own games and ut it on your store and we wont have any problems i wont even pirate them so plz create your own thing and plz leave third party games alone. and BTW those games are easily pirated if i wanted to here is an example do you want me to add any more to this list ? https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/83888f198e8799de5e96f8a40aa603f8ed9503e364398c4d9f73b310a8eee4c5.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b31c13a3a0bc8fd75aff3fceb5affcd68028f365c633b0bf8ac73edfb63b8cc5.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c697d2272716dd612434a9c46496eb80b2fa8eb0dad563143767f1c50e7a942e.jpg

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    1. STFU! You do not speak for everyone. And every ignorant, deluded, and idiotic gamer the decries the Epic store who also remained silent against Steam, Origin, or any other store that has had, and STILL has many exclusive titles is not only a hypocrite, but shows themselves as nothing more than a shill for their preferred platform.

      If you ore on PC you are literally not excluded from purchasing ANY games. Your idiocy cannot see past reality because you care more about yourself than the industry and gamers. Your inability to see the big picture shows you to be idiots an unworthy of engaging with.

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      1. There are no exclusivity deals on Steam. If a game is only is released there, it’s because the publisher want it like that, and they can change their minds anytime, unlike with Epic.

        Ustore and Origin has exclusive games because they’ve developed them themselves. If they hadn’t funded them, the games wouldn’t exist, unlike Epic.

        But it was a nice try, champ.

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          1. Sadly, this is clearly demonstrated to be untrue (by the OP). However, some people are just too dumb for their opinions to be worth considering.

        2. “There are no exclusivity deals on Steam”

          Some publishers have exclusive deals with Steam for example Capcom or Activision. Games like Resident Evil 2, DMC 5 are exclusive to Steam. You can’t buy them from Epic Store, GOG or any other shop

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          1. Again, there are no deals. The publishers have decided to only release on Steam, but there are no deals. They can decide tomorrow to publish on GOG, Epic Store or anywhere else. This is not the case with Epic Store.

          2. It seems you dont get it at all, made me laugh LOL, there is no contract not to release outside of steam, capcom or any other can release it anywhere they want. So dont talk cause it really makes you look stupid.

          3. No they choose to only sell their games on Steam, Valve isn’t paying any publisher for that

            Much as I wish they would sell games on GOG, where I buy most games, they don’t.

            Call Steam out for what it does in do wrong, which is plenty.

            Steam Workshop, not just being a walled garden, but even existing.
            Mods tied to a store client is anti-consumer in the worse way.
            The recent change to Review Bombing, being opt in by default.
            Forcing game, and mod updates, before you can even play

            I could go on, Steam was the worst Store out there, until Epic Games appeared.

            Regarless, you lost the debate with those first 4 letters.
            Argue good points, and you have a slim chance.

            Tell one person to STFU, and everybody else says no we won’.

          2. 40% is owned by Chinese Government and they have memebers on board, That’s what i meant by owning.

            Owners:Tim Sweeney >50% – Tencent 40%

      5. How does it taste ?

        >If you ore on PC you are literally not excluded from purchasing ANY games.
        You are, Epic s**t Store is blocked here. jokes on you, your shilling can not work.

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      6. Where I’d disagree is the idea that you can ever rely on reviews hosted by the store selling the games.

        Store is the last place you should look to for reviews, and the recent review Bombing changes on Steam, make my point for me.

        Look to a 3rd party site for truly independent reviews.

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        1. no i can only trust reviews of users that actually play the game like how it is on steam you cant review it unless you own the game unlike metacritic and those other garbo sites

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      7. Yea sorry but no. Considering it’s literally impossible to buy anything on EGS once someone hacks your account and changes your settings, until you figure it out.

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    2. Here’s the thing. A pirate is a pirate is a pirate. You’ll pirate anyways. This is just the latest excuse you keep telling yourself so you can sleep at night, you guilty f*k.

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      2. Hey Chris, can you please speak with some respect man. You started off your first comment on here with “STFU”, then here your are down here again, going Full Metal Crybaby’sh…

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  19. Valve just need to reduce their cut to 88% and that will put a stop to Epic’s exclusivity deals. If Valve did what Epic Store did on exclusive deals they most certainly would be called anti competitive and a monopoly because they’re using their market power, but they didn’t.

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    1. It’s not even about that. It’s about the promised fat paycheck that devs get for selling themselves out – if the rumored quotes (2m – 3m dollars) are true.

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      1. Let’s just say that it’s so high that they don’t even care that the game won’t sell on the epic store, as much as it will sell anywhere else. The amount of money epic pays these Publishers is more than they would make from actual sales. With that type of money,
        these publishers don’t care about sales because they are already rolling in that FORTNITE BANK ROLL. Timothy Sweeney has unlimited amount of money to throw everywhere because of their money printing machine a.k.a Fortnite.

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        1. Oh I agree, but they get away with it because they are a corporation. There is a story out there a true story that explains why they have so much power. If you wanna know more, look into the 14th amendment of the constitution and it’s 1868 Ratification. This law s designed to protected newly freed slaves as people. The corporation’s took that same law and TURNED THEMSELVES INTO PEOPLE. its a lengthy explanation into how the corporation Hijacked and Piggy back off of the Freed slaves in order to benefit from those same laws. Its some scary a$$ stuff man. They had documentary that explained this very well but i can’t remember the name of it. But like I said if you care to know more, just do a search on “How corporations became people/persons”.

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    2. Its already upto 80% for high performing games on Steam but Epic Games Store apologists keep quoting 70% just to make Epic Games Store look half decent.

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      1. Yeah well, it’s the only way Epic store can get competitive, be anti-competitive and steal games from other stores.

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  20. This guy is a pox on the gaming industry. Almost as bad as those anti-videogame lawyers, since Sweeney is working against gaming from the inside.

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  21. Yes, Steam could do this & bury any advantage you gained, screwing over all consumers in the process. *gold clap* When you’re making the likes of Game-stop, EA, Ubisoft, etc. look good in comparison, it’s time to take a long hard look in the mirror.

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  22. So in other word what he is trying to say, hey we wanna make it better for us but fk u consumers. They comparing valve actual games with their bribing other developers. Anything that comes to fortnite malware launcher dead to me already.

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  23. “Let us dig into this topic here. It’s a good question and we wholeheartedly support key sales for non-exclusive games.”

    The guy is a living rat boy, one who got bullied at school, and now he wants to take it out on the world via his crapfest view of “competition”.

    Really hope EGS lose out in the long-run, and the devs that sided with him I hope go out of business. Diligaf about your dev woes, we’re all working joes like you devs, yet you never cared about us, your very lifeblood.

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      1. Tim “tiny weeny” Sweeney
        Tim “everything is fine” Sweeney
        Tim “master hole digger” Sweeney
        Tim “it cant get any worse” Sweeney
        I could go on but these should do it.

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  25. “….compared to closing down platforms like Windows to monopolize distribution, as iOS does, and as Microsoft was trying to do with UWP and locked-down versions of Windows — which failed, and whose proponents are now gone and WILL BE REPLACED BY ME WITH THE EPIC STORE. Epic WILL BE PICKING UP WHERE UWP/MICROSOFT LEFT OFF –Timothy Sweeney

    ^<<<<<<<<<<<<< FIXED IT*

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  27. He’s just hopelessly trying to justify draconic decisions passed down to him by higher level corporation. He’s just a tool. in every sense of the word.

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  28. Any chance you’ll be challenging Steam’s monopoly through superior service rather than blackmailing players onto your sh**ty, anti- consumer store, Timmy boy?

    Didn’t think so.

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    1. Nah bro, that’s too much work. When you have Fortnite Money, you don’t need to work. You just throw it at whatever problem you have and watch it disappear. #FortniteMoney2019

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  30. At the end of it all he’s gonna go “It’s all been a social experiment of how deep we could dig this hole”. Cause i see no other way of people being this dense to public backlash. DSP levels of stubborn right here.

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    1. Darksyde Phil the master of gaming. He once came 4th in a fighting game tournament you know (this is a thing he says to validate he’s a good gamer even tho hes sh*t).

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  32. It’s funny he keeps bragging about the 88 to 12 revenue sharing. Humble has him beat with 90 to 5 with 5 percent going to charity. He is stupid.

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    2. Thats wrong info, Humble is not a store, its a re-seller.

      When they sell Steam/Origin/Ubi keys, the publisher/dev also pays Steam/Origin/Ubi the usual price PLUS to Humble on top.

      Steam/Origin/Ubi are not a charity, they wont hold a game for free.

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  37. This guy’s ‘business-speak’ means nothing to me. He is part of those marketeers that got their grubby sausage fingers into our gaming world. Exclusives suck for every gamer (they always have), I don’t care what your reasoning is. If your whole plan is to make another digital distribution platform to properly compete, fine. But if you are using it to corner off as much of the market as you can and make everything fall into exclusivity, then you can suck it… hard. With you CEOs, shareholders, directors, etc it is NEVER enough. You can never have enough money. I don’t and will never trust you.

    Edit: and need I remind people when they tried to peddle to us that the ‘pc platform is dying and becoming irrelevant.’ HA! F*king joke mate. Even Capcom is smelling the money that is on pc. We suffered for years with the exclusive console nonsense, we’re not gonna let some pig head CEOs divide and make exclusive our single platform.

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  38. Valve can do the same!! Says this guy. But still Valve hasnt done anything like this in ten years.
    Now if he is going to say why L4D is only on Steam, well, why Dragon Age Inquisition is only on Origin?

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  39. Wauw, this sounds so arrogant.
    “Yeah we know people don’t like this but f*k you we’re gonna keep doing it.”

    The reason why Origin and Uplay have exclusives is because those games are actually OWNED by those companies. I don’t like it but at least I understand it. What you are doing is forcing people to use EPIC because you know your store is sh*t and rather than improve upon it with features, you decide to buy out games people want.

    This is a short sighted vision and this won’t last. Piss off too many people and it doesn’t matter how many deals with the publishers you make if people just boycot your sh*t.

    And it’s not about having it all on 1 store, it is quite the opposite. Just sell it on whatever you can and let people CHOOSE. That’s why PC is so loved. You have options and you are taking them away so stfu about telling me what I want.

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  42. you can blame steam and their 35% on all sales.steam has had a monoply for far to long and this is the result….im alll for it.

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    1. So will you hold that console market to the same standards? Because they take a 33-35% cut in royalties as well need to do your research. I’m no fan of steam but want you are trying to bring attention to doesn’t hold any ground, since as it’s standard practice. Now I do believe that digital stores should not be charging such hefty percentage as a brick and mortar store does, but you see that consumer services you love so much? You see all those quick responses and troubleshooting you enjoy? All the updates to infrastructure? And so much more, how do you expect them to be paid for? And these publishers aren’t victims. They ain’t starving. Epic only cares about the companies, doesn’t give a damn about the consumer. Because none of that will trickle down. There is a game on the epic store that is 20% more expensive than it is on Gog. Don’t be fooled by Timothy Sweeney, go do your research Homie.

      Besides all these digital stores are the same rubbish. Just DRM wrap in a nicely knitt wedding dress. GOG is the only store that offers any form of benefit for the consumer. Steam, Uplay, Epic Fail & Origins are all the same steaming pile of rubbish.

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        1. You have no point Devs make even more money on PC. There is also no used games on PC. Therefor PC will keep the same game selling for years to come. Do you think GTA V or skyrim sold more on consoles? I don’t know what point you are trying to make here. And what the hell does “gray markets” like G2A and cdkeys have to do with any damn thing? The keys are bought and paid for at a bundled rate. Despite the BS you’ve been told 3rd party sites are legit, they didn’t steal the keys. If they did, my whole library would be blocked. Cause I’m sure the publishers can track stolen keys in this digital age. What do you think those keys are free.

          You can also buy console keys on the gray markets. Your point is irrelevant to what we are talking about here. I really don’t know what you were Trying to accomplish here. What in tarnation you are talking about. I suspect you have no clue about the PC and is just visiting via Windows store.

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  43. I actually want more stores to complete for my money. It’s a very bad idea for one company or store or platform to have a monopoly. For those new to gaming, Steam was once a hated platform, people don’t like change, but things do change, maybe Steam feels some heat and ups its game in many fronts.
    nsfw gif from history: http://i.imgur.com/GKaoJ.gif

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