The Epic Games Store is set to be available on the next Xbox console right when it launches. This is a big step for the digital store on console systems.
In a recent interview, Steve Allison from Epic Games shared that Xbox has been open to the idea of adding the Epic Games Store to its upcoming hardware. Allison mentioned that they are working to be ready right from the start. He said, “we’re going to be there, like, on day one”. This means players will likely be able to buy games from Epic’s store on the new Xbox immediately.
Allison explained that the plan depends on Microsoft keeping its current policies. He stated, “We definitely plan to be on the new hardware for Xbox, because, unless their policy or stance on it changes, [Microsoft] are telling us they’re going to welcome that.” He added that to make this happen, Epic will need to build software that meets whatever requirements the new console has.
However, this will require some work from Epic’s side. Allison admitted that they have not yet built the specific applications needed for the new console. They will need to design a dedicated app for the next Xbox to make the store function properly.
If this plan succeeds, it will be a major shift for the console market. Historically, consoles have been very closed off, usually only allowing their own stores. Opening up to third-party sellers like Epic would change how games are sold on consoles.
During the interview, Allison also shared some numbers about the Epic Games Store’s performance. He said the store averaged about 67 million monthly users last year. He believes this is roughly half the number of users on Steam. Additionally, the store generated a record $400 million in revenue from selling third-party games.
Because of this growth, Epic plans to expand into new markets. They are looking at launching on iOS in Japan and mobile devices in Brazil. They also want to add more social features, such as forums, and make it easier to switch between the PC and mobile versions of the store. Updates to the game launcher itself are also expected later this year.
Allison described the work being done on the launcher. He said, “We’re ripping out the guts. We’re replacing the guts with modern guts.” He promised that the new version will be faster and will not cause lag when refreshing. It will also use fewer system resources while running in the background.
In a separate interview, Allison confirmed that Epic has been talking to Microsoft about these plans. He hinted that giving away free games helps sell other titles on different platforms. He said, “We take it very seriously” regarding their free games program. The goal is to highlight games that players might have missed.
The free games program brings in many new users. Allison said it brings in 10 million new players every year. He called it the best way to get new customers for the cost. He emphasized that the program is important to players and that he would not want to stop it, as it is part of who they are.
