Wow, that is some seriously dismissive bullshit. Sure, Epic's got a ways to go, but Steam didn't have a lot of that shit when it launched either, and a lot of what they did have was totally broken. They have the advantage of having had 15 years of building up what was originally a pretty garbage service into something that now at least mostly functions except when it still doesn't. And I can count on one hand the number of those features I ever actually use. Epic's shit came out a couple of months ago, so they'll need a minute, most especially to set up relationships with other retailers.
Epic doesn't even have most of the basics down, which most other services already have. Lack of Cloud Support, user reviews, and forums are a very big deal to me - as these are very important things that both GOG and Steam have, which I use. When GOG of all places has a better service than Epic (and Bethesda.Net, while we're at it - since Bethesda.Net has been out a bit and still have almost NO features), there's a problem - as GOG is still pretty damn bare bones actually. At least GOG is very functional, despite not being feature-rich.
Most publishers and dev's are thinking about that 88/12 split. No matter how you cut it - that's a good deal. Thing is, though - are they going to move units like they did on Steam? Eh, given the revolting, especially w/ a title like Exodus, I'd doubt it. Something huge in name like COD or GTA (if those were there) could probably sway people, but a much more niche AAA title like Exodus won't. And we've seen that, as review-bombing of Metro 2033 Redux and Metro LL Redux became a thing b/c of the Exodus going Epic-exclusive backlash.
I'm also betting it's more than this, as Epic is likely also tossing extra $$ to pull them away from Steam, GOG, Origin, and other services - as they are trying to get Epic Exclusives; which they've done w/ (at least) Hades, Division 2, and now Metro: Exodus. They have those...probably for at least a year, like they do w/ Exodus.
As someone who has multiple PC's, posts lots of screens, has SteamLink built into my Samsung HDTV, Big Picture mode usage, multiple PC's (one desktop and 2 gaming laptops) that I have games on (yep, Steam Cloud works good and I use that all the time) - yeah, I use Steam and its features a ton.
Also, Steam isn't a platform. PC is a platform. Steam is just a storefront, and because the PC is open, we can have many of them, and publishers and developers are going to go where they're getting a good deal. Steam has been treating especially smaller devs like shit so a lot are jumping ship, and good for them, that's exactly what they should be doing. And if Steam doesn't work to actually fix the problems they're having and offer them a fair deal, then fuck Valve, they deserve to lose the customers. The consumer is not the end-all, be-all of the consideration, and this still ultimately benefits them regardless because a storefront monopoly is always a bad thing.
Metro: Exodus isn't even on Steam anymore for purchase on PC. It's exclusive to Epic on the PC period...for a whole year. Consumers can't order it now anywhere else but Epic, as it got pulled from Steam for a year. It also can't come to GOG and anywhere else (usually, any pub/dev worried about piracy, they'll put their AAA titles months to a year later on GOG over there - Metro 2033 Redux and LL Redux are both on GOG for sale).
Expect the consumer to be saddled w/ premium pricing. Only recently, did finally EA sell the ME2 DLC Pack, ME3 DLC Pack, and DA2 DLC Pack after all these years for around $13 (or less) - and you cannot get those anywhere else but Origin. With no competition, I think if Epic, 4A, and Deep Silver/Koch wants - they can pull similar stunts: keep pricing high. Good for the dev's/pub's if it still sells at high prices, but not good for the consumer.
About Steam being a platform - well, when Proton actually finally becomes part of the Steam game-client, then Steam could then really become its own platform. (Proton is basically their version of Linux with WINE support and DX-intercepts made by Vulkan API).
Lastly, on actual exclusivity, of course that's how they sell consoles, why would anyone pay probably five times as much money to buy a fancy PC just to play the same games at a slightly higher fps? Most people could give less than 0 fucks about that stuff because they aren't hobbyists, they just want to play some games. Hell, *I'm* a hobbyist and I don't even give a fuck about fancy PC specs. And why would any company even develop their own console just to then sell games on a competitor's platform? That makes no sense. Of course you don't care because you've never even owned a console, but that's not where most of the gaming market is and it never has been. You are a huge statistical outlier. Either way, nothing here counts as platform exclusivity, you can still buy the games and play them on any PC that can run them, you just need to use a different storefront. And like okay, so Gears of War 4 is only now $10 because it's on the Windows Store. The game is only two fucking years old, how fast did you expect it to get to ten bucks?
Given how most PC games devalue themselves w/ Expansion Passes, Season Passes, DLC's, MTX's, and even winding up in Humble Bundles (and other bundle sites) - actually, PC games really fast can hit really cheap actually really fast. Within a few months, actually. Very competitive market.
W10 Store games; Activision games and especially COD games (except Infinite Warfare, which tanked in price pretty fast); and Blizzard titles - yeah, those can take quite a bit of time to actually get devalued.
And yes, if I can't buy Metro: Exodus on GOG, Steam, Direct2Drive - yes, it's an exclusive somewhere. And right now, that's Epic's Game Store. Timed exclusive, albeit (for a whole year). But it's still exclusive.
Also, it's nice to run Yakuza 0 on the PC here at 120-240fps on a regular basis w/ G-Sync. The butter-smooth gameplay, combat, and everything is fantastic - running maxed-out here at 1080p. No input lag, responsive as can be, no screen tears, no issues. Perfect gameplay. Why would I want to play that on a platform (consoles) where it's likely only running at 30fps or maybe 60fps, when I don't need to or don't have to? If you haven't ran a game w/ some A-Sync method (G-Sync or FreeSync) at high framerates (i.e. 90fps-240fps), you're missing out.
I used to think 60fps was the "be all, end all" and that high framerates and G-Sync were unnecessary. Even when people were telling me how much better it is to high framerates and G-Sync, I was like "Why do I need over 60fps?" Now, I know, from experiencing it. God, was I ever wrong, until I actually experienced it for myself.
Some games like GR: Wildlands (which has A LOT going on it, in its huge open-world), even capped at 60fps, they just didn't feel right w/ no A-Sync method when at 60fps or below. Too many stutters, slowdowns, and other things - even if it dipped a few frames. Eh, that's an UbiSoft game for you...not the best optimized, no matter how gorgeous they often are. Don't have any of those issues, when I'm in the 60-90fps range w/ G-Sync and either my desktop 970 or laptop's 6gb 1060.
Also, I already have tons of game-client apps/store-fronts. Many of them are so basic and are lacking features. Most of them, they feel like they're there for DRM purposes (except GOG, in which they have no DRM period on any of their titles). How many more do I have to install? I have W10 Store/Xbox Store; G4WL; GOG; Origin; UPlay; GOG Galaxy; Battle.Net; Bethesda.Net; and now Epic Store. I'm sure I have a few more, but that's a fair deal of them listed. Who's next w/ their own game-client/app? Deep Silver maybe?
