Epic Games Store, Xbox, Gas Giant Games… This week’s business news

news business Epic Games Store, Xbox, Gas Giant Games… This week’s business news

Epic Games Store: update on the state of the platform

Presented and launched as a competitor to Steam, the Epic Games Store has had one for a number of years very aggressive strategy Convince publishers and players. share from income fairer, range of games, regular discounts, everything is done, or almost. The Epic Games Store is still there far from what was intended in functionality than the Valve platform. The wish lists came quite late and the platform was just launched on submissions for self-publishing.The latter must respect two rules in particular: not to offer pornographic content with real people and Integrate crossplay features with other PC supports. Epic Games provides an API for this, but developers can also use their own.

Support is extended to consoles, but only PC crossplay is required. For the rest “it’s good but not great”. EGS has experienced that 2% drop in sales in 2022 to reach $820 million. At the same time selling third-party games increased by 18% ($355 million), and it’s a very good signal for a store that wants to sell third-party games and attract an audience that has been accustomed to Steam for many years. Unfortunately, first-party games aren’t as lively. Fortnite, Rocket League or Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout did not generate than $465 million in 2022, compared to $540 million in 2021. A decrease is mainly due to the end of the containment measures. Epic Games boss Tim Sweeny said the number of active users has remained stable, but that Meeting times and costs have decreased.

Speaking of those users, they are decreased from 31.1 million in 2021 to 34.3 in 2022 (daily). As for the total active users numbers, where we find people with started the EGS at least once a year, they go from 62 to 68 million. Let’s finish with free games, the EGS’ main argument to attract players. In 2022 these are 99 games offered for free totaling $2,240. Steve Allison, general manager of the Epic Games Store, says that the smaller games offered have been downloaded in between 6.5 and 7 million timeswhile the most imposing titles were adopted 20 to 25 million times.

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Microsoft continues to sign partnerships to convince regulators

Pending final advice from the UK CMA in late April and the European Commission in late May, Microsoft is continuing to try show paw as part of the acquisition of Activision Blizzard King. After announcement Agreements with NVIDIA and Nintendothe Redmond company has announced that it has signed a contract with the Ukrainian cloud gaming platform called Boosteroid. With already 4 million subscribers worldwide, Boosteroid is an independent market leader in the American, British and European markets.

We believe in the power of games to bring people together. That’s why Xbox is committed to giving people more ways to play their favorite games across devices. Bringing Xbox PC games to Boosteroids members, including Activision Blizzard titles like Call of Duty, once the deal closes is another step toward realizing that vision, said Microsoft Gaming chief Phil Spencer.

Boosteroid shares Microsoft’s vision of bringing games to as many people, places and platforms as possible. Our goal has long been to enable gamers to enjoy their favorite titles on any device at their disposal. Today’s announcement is another step in that direction. Additionally, with our Ukraine-based development team, we appreciate Microsoft’s continued commitment (…) and we will work together on an initiative that will support our local game developer community to continue investing in the country’s economic recovery.” , added Ivan Shvaichenko, CEO of Bobooster.

This agreement is therefore part of a larger agreement in which Microsoft is providing technological and financial assistance to Ukraine after the invasion of the country by Russia. Support for Mykhailo Fedorov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Digital Transformation of Ukraine, and amounted to more than 430 million dollars since the clashes began.

This partnership builds on the $430 million in technology and financial support we have provided to Ukraine since the illegal invasion of Russia, and demonstrates the steps we will continue to take to support Ukraine’s 160,000 developers of software. “This also builds on our recent agreements with Nintendo and NVIDIA, which provide even more clarity to regulators that our acquisition of Activision Blizzard will make Call of Duty available on many more devices than ever before,” said Brad Smith.

Obviously, Call of Duty, the main bone of contention between Sony and Microsoft surrounding the acquisition, is never far away. However, this is not the only agreement signed in cloud gaming. Microsoft also found Similarities with Ubitusa platform based in Japan.

Following the closing of the acquisition, Microsoft and Ubitus, a leading cloud gaming provider, have signed a 10-year partnership to provide Xbox PC games and Activision Blizzard titles. Our goal is to give players more choices.

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Two veterans of the Diablo franchise create and present their own studio

Many Blizzard veterans have started their businesses in recent years. We think in particular Frost Giant Studios, Red 5, Dreamhaven, Notorious Games or LightForge Games, But it is not finished yet. This week we found out about the birth of Gas Giant Games created by Jay Wilson and Julian Love. The first worked at Blizzard from 2006 to 2013, while the second was part of the adventure from 2002 to 2021. We find these two veterans particularly special to credit from World of Warcraft: Legion, Diablo III, Diablo IV or even the controversial Diablo Immortal. To accompany the two companions we find Dan Kellywho manages the studio after his job Disney and THQ. Obviously this announcement is accompanied by a press release in which we learn that many developers are already part of the adventure, with different experiences ranging from Cyberpunk 2077 to Kingdom Hearts through Overwatch.

While we’re not ready to reveal all the details of our current project to the world, we can say that fans of our previous games will be amazed by what awaits them. “I can tell you that our game will feature visceral and insane combat, immersive progression systems, and a unique survival experience, all in a new and original world that we’re sure you’ll enjoy exploring,” said Jay Wilson.

The first title from Gas Giant Games will therefore take the form an action RPG that focuses on the survival side. The team aims to bring together two genres that are still too far apart for their liking through a title that will be released on PC and consoles at an unknown date. Public communications surrounding this first game will not begin immediately, but a privileged few will be entitled to do so a presentation in a few days on the occasion of the GDC from San Francisco.

Briefly in the business news of the week

• Emmett Shear, PDG from TwitchHe announced his retirement to spend time with his newborn first child. He will be replaced by the platform’s president, Dan Clancy.
• The FTC Legal Department is not satisfied with the information provided by Microsoft. It asks for additional data Agreements signed, exclusivities Zenimax and the next generation of Xbox consoles.
• Six UK studios and publishers invited by the CMA to speak up in favor of the acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
• In week 9, Hogwarts Legacy (PS5) dominates the French physical market in terms of value. It predates God of War: Ragnarok (PS5), Metroid Prime Remastered, Kirby and the Forgotten World, and finally Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
• Only onewho has led Blizzard for three months replied Jay Allen Brackwho had replaced her in the studio Magic soup games recently established. There is also John Donham. notable feature, everyone works remotely.

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