Recap: Earlier this week Epic Video games launched their 2021 Yr in Overview. The discharge, which supplies no scarcity of self-reported utilization and gross sales statistics, factors to an total enhance within the platform’s use. However suggestions from the gaming neighborhood questions if the rise is because of extra customers becoming a member of the service for the content material or just stopping by for the shop’s free video games.
Epic’s Yr in Overview 2021 highlighted an total progress development throughout the yr, including 34 million new customers since 2020 and will increase in each day, month-to-month, and concurrent consumer counts. The writer’s progress is the results of their very own efforts to develop the platform in addition to the explosive progress of PC gaming and {hardware} gross sales in 2021.
In 2021 the Epic Video games Retailer gave away 89 free titles valued at $2,120, which added as much as a hefty 765 million copies claimed throughout the yr. Epic’s announcement confirmed the corporate will proceed the free sport giveaways in 2022 to draw new customers and supply high quality content material to present clients. The free titles are made obtainable to the shop’s customers on a weekly foundation and are a everlasting a part of their sport library as soon as claimed.
Regardless of the way it would possibly sound, the “free” video games which are given away are hardly free to Epic. The corporate continues to be accountable for paying sport builders for the best to make it obtainable to their customers for free of charge. Epic seems to proceed providing these video games in hopes of continued consumer base progress and elevated spending on future exclusives. Whereas it’d appear to be a dropping proposition, the free video games have been a giant driver in Epic’s potential to realize some floor towards providers like Steam.
The corporate’s announcement highlighted a number of different developments coming in 2022, together with expanded social and neighborhood options, sport hubs, and Epic Video games Retailer software enhancements. Followers and critics alike can comply with Epic’s deliberate and upcoming content material and enhancements by the Epic Video games Retailer Roadmap on Trello.