Epic Games looks back on the past year and publishes some interesting figures about its in-house store. It turns out that the weekly free games are losing a lot of popularity.
Bild: Epic Games
In 2023, 86 different games were given away on the Epic Games Store. As the statistics show, these were accessed by players a total of 586 million times. What at first sounds like a considerable number is actually a pretty big minus. This is shown by a look at the previous two years.
In 2021, 765 million free games were won and in 2022 there were around 700 million. The number of secured free games has initially fallen by around nine percent and now again by almost 17 percent. And this despite the fact that the average rating and overall value of the games on offer have remained almost the same.
The plan still seems to be working, as the number of users increased again. Last year, Epic recorded more than 270 million PC users. An increase of around 40 million compared to the previous year. They spent a total of $950 million in the shop. Meanwhile, the number of cross-platform Epic accounts increased from 725 million to 804 million.
On top of that, Epic has announced its plans for 2024. The following is planned:
– A completely new download manager is coming at the beginning of 2024. As expected, you can control the timing of updates, schedule downloads, rearrange the download queue, and more.
– The offline mode is also significantly improved. It will be possible to consciously go offline and get a smoother launcher experience with accurate error information. Users with limited connectivity will also find improved authentication flows.
– Social improvements: The friends list will be revised and give you more ways to communicate with your friends.
– Advance downloads for pre-sales.
– Subscription support: Developers and publishers can offer their own subscription services on the Epic Games Store. You will also be able to earn rewards with subscriptions purchased on the Epic Games Store.
– Dynamic Packs: Want to get a great pack but already own some content? This will be possible without losing savings.
– … and the launch on iOS in Europe!
Quelle: Epic Games