Epic Games Shop Provides Video Game Developers With Self-Publishing Tools

Trisha Kae Andrada, Tech Times 09 March 2023, 03:03 pm

Epic Games said it would allow game creators and publishers to self-publish their works through the Epic Games Store. Thanks to these tools, developers can now reach a larger audience at a lower financial investment.

Building Great User Experience

In an interview with GamesBeat, CEO of Epic Games Tim Sweeney and head of the Epic Games Store Steve Allison announced that the tools constitute a huge milestone for the store and would allow a much greater number of independent game creators and publishers to access wider markets.

Sweeney said that the number of people who use the shop on a monthly basis increased to 68 million from 34 million in 2022. There have been 230 million customers at the shop thus far. Developers now have a better shot at getting their games in front of that audience at a cheaper cost, thanks to these resources.

Epic Games Store will be more competitive than its rival, Steam, because of the tools available to developers. Steam's user base is roughly twice as large as Epic Games Store's, and Steam enabled self-publishing years ago with Steam Greenlight and its successor, Steam Direct.

The annual rate of game releases on Steam has increased dramatically since 2017, when the platform allowed self-publishing.

Using Epic Games' new technologies, developers may rate their own games and have the market confirm those scores. Video game creators who want to use the self-service publishing toolsets available via the Epic Developer Portal must go straight to the site.

Every game maker or publisher whose products adhere to the store's guidelines, such as content ratings, has access to these features.

Technical Requirements

Any developer or publisher whose games qualify for sale in the Epic Games Store is welcome to do so. These specifications aim to provide a first-rate gaming experience without forcing customers to stick with a certain vendor.

The necessary prerequisites consist of the following:

Multiplayer games on PC must enable crossplay. This guarantees that multiplayer game buyers from any retailer may effortlessly connect with other gamers.
If the game contains PC store accomplishments, it must allow Epic Games Store achievements after Mar. 9. This standardizes the playing experience across platforms.
Developers may immediately request ratings from the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC) via the Epic Games Store. Epic Games Store developers get this feature for free. Official ratings must be published on the store game pages.
The store prohibits hostile or discriminatory material, pornography, unlawful content, anything that infringes on the developer's intellectual property, and scams, frauds, or misleading activities like fraudulent games or viruses. Blockchain games are legal.
Games must download, install, run, and work as the game website describes.

When games are sold via the Epic Games Store, publishers earn 88% of the income. They can utilize their own payment system or via a third party to receive the revenue from in-app purchases. Only 12% goes to Epic Games, which helps to cover the store's operating expenses.