Epic’s continuing efforts to make a dent in Steam’s dominance of the PC gaming market have gotten a fresh jolt, with the company today announcing that it will offer devs 100% of revenue in exchange for timed exclusivity. Called Epic First Run, the program requires developers to keep their games off other platforms like Steam and PC-based streaming services for six months.
However, they will still be able to sell through in-house, first party publisher- or developer-run launchers like the EA app or Ubisoft Connect, their own website, or marketplaces that use keyless redemption with Epic. The only other conditions are that the game must not have been available via any other PC storefront prior, and those with an existing exclusivity deal, like the upcoming Witchfire, are not eligible. The program will begin publicly on October 16, with devs able to sign up beginning from that month.
It’s worth noting that this deal only applies to the PC market, as developers can still launch their games simultaneously on consoles. After the six-month exclusivity window expires, the revenue share will revert to the usual 12% cut going to Epic and 88% to developers, and developers will be free to release their games elsewhere.
Since launching in 2018, Epic has run a range of initiatives to lure people to the Epic Games Store. It targets players with its ongoing weekly giveaway of free games (which has featured some undisputed bangers like Grand Theft Auto V and Kingdom Come: Deliverance). For developers, it offers a better revenue split than Steam does, and the Epic First Run program steps that up, including offering special promotions during their First Run window.
For all that, the store’s overall market share remains a fraction of what Steam commands, though the launcher has come a long way since its barebones launch.
