The separation of Steam and Epic is coming to an end! Now nothing stands in the way of developers allowing crossplay between the two game launchers on the PC. The decisive factor was Epic Games, who now provide the tools to integrate them into games.
in one blog post justifies Epic’s decision. Accordingly, developers should get a simple way to bring their different communities together. This should also make it easier to work on games. The developer tools that have now been released should also only be the beginning and more will follow in the future, which should relate to consoles.
Epic Games’ statement reads as follows:
»In order to reach all target groups, developers have to port their titles to multiple shops and platforms by setting up different services and account systems for each shop. Because these services are not interoperable, players cannot play with friends who have purchased the same game from different retailers even though they own the same game.
Today we’re introducing a new crossplay tool for game developers – initially for PC. This service is the first in a series of plug-and-play crossplay services that provide developers with everything they need to connect their game and community across platforms and stores.”
Epic Games via dev.epicgames.com
You can find out more about Steam vs. Epic in the current Plus Report:
Epic Games vs. Steam
Who is leading the battle of the big game stores?
A turning point
Crossplay is always progressing – not only in terms of launchers, but also in terms of entire hardware ecosystems. Sony, for example, had resisted crossplay for a long time. But when its competitor Microsoft tore down the walls to the PC, it wasn’t long before Sony followed suit with individual games.
Crossplay has now arrived at the center of the industry. Whether you’re playing on PlayStation, Xbox, PC, or even mobile, crossplay is a good thing in many games. Great news for players and the communities! Friends no longer necessarily have to have the same system in order to be able to have virtual fun together.
Nevertheless, the latest developments represent an important milestone for the cause of Epic vs. Steam. Finally, Epic fought against its big competitor Steam with all its might in order to occupy its own place in the store landscape.
And by all means: Much-criticized exclusive contracts and years full of free games not only ensure a contrast of angry and satisfied players – apparently they were enough for Epic Games to gain a stable position in the market. The crossplay between Epic and Steam that has now been announced should be an indicator of this.
PLUS
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Epic Games Store vs. Steam: facts, figures and a conclusion
In the video above, we work through the competition between the two digital retailers Steam and Epic for you. If you are interested in exciting numbers and our expert analysis, please have a look.
