Epic Games Announces Launch of Game Market Service on iOS and Android Platforms
At the “State of Unreal” event held during GDC 2024, Epic Games confirmed that its game market service will be launched on iOS and Android platforms, in addition to the previously announced launch in the EU. The event also provided more details on the current development of the Unreal Engine game engine and the platform’s profit-sharing policy for developers.
Steve Allison, general manager of the Epic Games Store business, revealed that the total number of people using Epic Games Store accounts has surpassed 270 million, with over 75 million monthly active users. In 2023, it is expected that total content consumption and purchases will reach $950 million.
In the past year, Epic Games Store offered 80 popular games for free, with a total value exceeding $2,000. Additionally, a 5% rebate was provided for purchasing qualifying games, all funded by Epic Games to attract more players to the service.
Allison highlighted that since 2018, Epic Games has been offering developers 88% of sales revenue, with only 12% retained for operation costs. This balanced ratio aims to empower developers to profit from sales on the platform and promote their games effectively.
He also reiterated the First Run plan, allowing developers with exclusive games to receive all sales revenue for the first six months. This unique model is designed to maximize sales profits for developers.
Moreover, Epic Games will absorb fees related to processing payments and providing CDN network services for downloading game content, reducing costs for developers. The use of Unreal Engine for non-game content will be priced at $1,850 per person annually, excluding individual, research, non-profit, and government use.
The expansion of the Epic Games Store service to iOS and Android platforms is in progress, with a focus on maintaining the 88% revenue share for developers. Although the specific launch dates are yet to be confirmed, expectations are set for within the year, aiming to attract more developers to the mobile version of the Epic Games Store.
As Epic Games continues to innovate and provide lucrative opportunities for game developers, the gaming industry is set to witness further growth and success in the coming years. Stay tuned for more updates and developments from the gaming giant.