The digital distribution of video games has revolutionized the gaming landscape. Two giants dominate this space: Steam, the veteran platform developed by Valve, and the Epic Games Store (EGS), a relative newcomer from Epic Games. For years, gamers have debated which platform reigns supreme. This article delves into a comprehensive comparison, analyzing various aspects of both platforms to determine whether Epic Games Store is truly better than Steam.
Content Libraries and Game Selection
Steam boasts a massive library of games, spanning virtually every genre imaginable. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings, Steam’s catalog is unparalleled. The sheer volume of choices can be overwhelming, but it also guarantees that almost every gamer will find something to their liking. Steam’s early mover advantage has solidified its position as the go-to platform for many.
The Epic Games Store, while growing rapidly, still lags behind Steam in terms of sheer quantity. However, EGS compensates for this with a curated selection, focusing on quality over quantity. Epic Games has also secured numerous exclusive titles, attracting players seeking games unavailable on Steam.
Exclusivity Deals and Their Impact
Epic Games Store has made waves with its strategy of securing timed and permanent exclusives. This has both angered and attracted gamers. On one hand, players who prefer Steam feel forced to use EGS to play certain titles. On the other hand, exclusives drive competition and encourage developers to innovate.
Epic’s exclusives have undoubtedly shaken up the market and forced Valve to re-evaluate its approach. While controversial, these deals have significantly boosted EGS’s user base.
Indie Game Visibility
Steam has a robust indie game scene, but the sheer number of titles can make it difficult for smaller developers to gain visibility. The Epic Games Store, with its smaller library, potentially offers better visibility for indie games, as they don’t get lost in the crowd as easily. Furthermore, Epic’s favorable revenue split can be more appealing to indie developers.
Pricing and Sales Strategies
One of Epic Games Store’s most attractive features is its aggressive pricing and frequent sales. Epic regularly offers free games, enticing players to create accounts and explore its library. These free games often include well-regarded indie titles and even AAA games. This strategy has been instrumental in attracting new users and building brand loyalty.
Steam, while also offering sales, typically doesn’t match Epic’s generosity in terms of free games. However, Steam’s seasonal sales are legendary, offering deep discounts on a wide range of titles. The Steam community market also allows users to buy and sell in-game items, potentially recouping some of their gaming expenses.
Revenue Split: A Developer Perspective
Epic Games Store offers a more favorable revenue split for developers: 88/12, meaning developers receive 88% of the revenue while Epic takes 12%. Steam’s standard revenue split is 70/30, although this can improve for highly successful games. The more generous split offered by Epic attracts developers, leading to more games being available on the platform.
This improved revenue split allows developers to invest more in their games, leading to higher quality and more innovative experiences for players.
User Interface and Features
Steam’s user interface has evolved over the years and is generally considered feature-rich and comprehensive. It includes features like a robust friends list, community hubs, mod support, streaming capabilities, and a workshop for user-generated content. Steam’s extensive feature set caters to a wide range of gamers, from casual players to hardcore enthusiasts.
Epic Games Store’s user interface is simpler and more streamlined. It focuses on the core functionality of buying and playing games. While this simplicity can be appealing to some, it lacks many of the advanced features found on Steam.
Community Features and Social Interaction
Steam’s community features are a major draw for many players. The platform facilitates social interaction through friends lists, groups, forums, and in-game chat. Steam also allows players to create and share user-generated content, such as mods and guides.
Epic Games Store’s social features are more basic. While it has a friends list and basic messaging, it lacks the depth and breadth of Steam’s community features.
Cloud Saves and Cross-Platform Compatibility
Both Steam and Epic Games Store offer cloud saves, allowing players to seamlessly continue their progress on different devices. This is a crucial feature for gamers who play on multiple PCs. Cross-platform compatibility is becoming increasingly important, and both platforms are working to support it.
Performance and Stability
Steam, being a more mature platform, has generally good performance and stability. However, its sheer size and complexity can sometimes lead to occasional issues.
The Epic Games Store, being newer, has had its share of performance issues, particularly during periods of high traffic. However, Epic Games has been actively working to improve the platform’s stability.
Customer Support and Refund Policies
Steam’s customer support has been a subject of criticism in the past, but has improved significantly in recent years. Steam offers a self-service refund system, allowing players to easily request refunds for games that meet certain criteria.
Epic Games Store’s customer support is generally considered adequate, but may not be as responsive as some users would like. Its refund policies are similar to Steam’s.
Security and Privacy
Both Steam and Epic Games Store take security seriously, implementing measures to protect user accounts and data. However, both platforms have been targets of phishing attacks and other security threats. Users should always practice good security habits, such as using strong passwords and enabling two-factor authentication.
Privacy is also a concern for many gamers. Both platforms collect user data, but they have different policies regarding how this data is used.
Mod Support and User-Generated Content
Steam has a thriving modding community, with many games offering official mod support through the Steam Workshop. This allows players to create and share custom content, extending the life of their favorite games.
Epic Games Store’s mod support is more limited. While some games offer mod support, it is not as widespread as on Steam. The lack of a centralized workshop makes it more difficult for players to find and install mods.
Platform Specific Advantages
Steam has the advantage of the Steam Deck, a handheld gaming device that runs on a SteamOS. This allows Steam users to play their Steam library on the go. The Steam Deck gives Steam a significant advantage in the handheld gaming market.
Epic Games Store has the advantage of being integrated with the Unreal Engine, a popular game development engine. This integration makes it easier for developers to publish their games on the Epic Games Store.
Conclusion: Which Platform is Truly Better?
Ultimately, whether Epic Games Store is “better” than Steam depends on individual preferences and priorities.
- If you value a vast library, community features, mod support, and a mature platform, Steam is likely the better choice.
- If you prioritize free games, exclusive titles, a more generous revenue split for developers, and a simpler interface, Epic Games Store may be more appealing.
Both platforms have their strengths and weaknesses. The competition between Steam and Epic Games Store has benefited gamers by driving innovation and lowering prices. The future of digital game distribution will likely involve both platforms coexisting and continuing to compete for players’ attention. The “better” platform is ultimately the one that best suits your individual needs and preferences.
What are the main differences in the game library and availability between Epic Games Store and Steam?
Steam boasts a significantly larger game library compared to Epic Games Store, including a vast catalog of indie titles and older games. This extensive selection means players are more likely to find niche games and have access to a wider range of genres and developers. Steam has been around for much longer, allowing its library to accumulate over time, whereas the Epic Games Store is still building its catalog.
Epic Games Store, on the other hand, focuses on curated titles and securing exclusivity deals with publishers. This strategy means players may find newer games and potentially high-profile releases unavailable on Steam, at least for a limited time. Furthermore, Epic often offers free games weekly, providing an attractive incentive for users to expand their library without direct purchases.
How do the user interfaces and user experiences of the Epic Games Store and Steam differ?
Steam’s user interface has evolved significantly over the years and is packed with features, often considered overwhelming to new users. Its interface includes community forums, workshop support, extensive user reviews, and detailed game information pages. However, this complexity can also make it difficult to navigate and find specific games or features.
The Epic Games Store features a cleaner, more streamlined user interface that prioritizes simplicity and ease of use. While it lacks some of Steam’s advanced features like extensive community hubs and mod support, it is generally easier to browse and purchase games. The focus on visual presentation and curated selections enhances the browsing experience for some users, making it less cluttered and more intuitive.
How do the pricing models and sales strategies of Epic Games Store and Steam compare?
Both Steam and the Epic Games Store regularly offer sales and discounts on games. However, the Epic Games Store is known for its aggressive pricing strategies, including larger discounts and the aforementioned weekly free games. Epic Games also subsidizes game prices, allowing developers to offer their games at lower prices to consumers while still receiving their desired revenue.
Steam typically relies on seasonal sales, daily deals, and publisher promotions. While Steam offers discounts, the level of subsidization from Valve is less pronounced than Epic’s approach. Steam’s refund policy is also widely considered more lenient and consumer-friendly compared to Epic’s, offering more flexibility to users who are unsatisfied with their purchases.
What are the differences in community features and social interaction capabilities between the two platforms?
Steam offers a robust set of community features, including detailed user profiles, friends lists, groups, forums, and in-game overlay for communication. The Steam Workshop allows users to create and share mods for supported games, fostering a vibrant community and extending the lifespan of many titles. These features create a strong sense of connection and collaboration among players.
Epic Games Store has historically lagged behind Steam in terms of community features, focusing primarily on game distribution and basic social functionality. While Epic has been gradually adding more social features, such as friend lists and voice chat, it still lacks the depth and breadth of Steam’s community offerings. The absence of user reviews and forums can make it more difficult to assess games before purchasing.
How do Epic Games Store and Steam handle developer revenue splits and support for game creators?
One of the most significant differences between the two platforms is their revenue split with developers. The Epic Games Store offers a more favorable 88/12 revenue split, meaning developers receive 88% of the revenue generated from game sales on the platform, while Epic takes only 12%. This encourages developers to release their games on the Epic Games Store, potentially even as exclusives.
Steam traditionally offers a 70/30 revenue split, with Valve taking 30% of the revenue. However, Steam has introduced a tiered revenue share system based on a game’s revenue. Once a game reaches certain revenue milestones, the revenue split can improve to 75/25 or even 80/20 in favor of the developer. This benefits high-selling games but may not be as attractive to smaller developers compared to Epic’s flat rate.
What about game performance and technical aspects, are there any noticeable differences between the two platforms?
In terms of game performance, both Steam and Epic Games Store rely on the same underlying game files and system requirements. There is no inherent difference in how a game will perform based solely on which platform it is launched from, assuming identical game versions and system configurations are used. Performance issues are typically related to individual game optimization or user hardware, rather than the platform itself.
However, the Epic Games Store’s lack of extensive background processes compared to Steam can, in some cases, lead to slightly improved system resource usage. This might be noticeable on lower-end systems where every bit of performance counts. Steam’s broader range of features and background services can potentially consume more system resources, but the impact is generally negligible on modern, powerful computers.
What are the security and privacy considerations for users on Epic Games Store versus Steam?
Both Steam and Epic Games Store employ security measures to protect user accounts and prevent unauthorized access. Both platforms utilize two-factor authentication and encourage users to enable it for added security. They also have systems in place to detect and prevent fraud and malicious activity.
Regarding privacy, both platforms collect user data to personalize the user experience and provide targeted advertising. Users have some control over the data collected and how it is used. It is advisable to review the privacy policies of both Steam and Epic Games Store to understand their data collection practices and adjust privacy settings accordingly to align with personal preferences. Both platforms have faced scrutiny over their data collection policies, so it is wise to remain informed.