Saturday, October 5th 2024

Epic Games To Bring Free Game Giveaways to Mobile Store To Tempt Players Away from Google, Apple

The Epic Games free weekly game giveaways have been an easy way for PC gamers to pad out their game library with aging games and help Epic Games draw gamers to its store, which is commonly thought to be inferior to the likes of Steam due to a lack of features. Now Epic Games is bringing that same free game giveaway program to its mobile storefront for iOS (in the EU, at least) and Android.

Announced at a round table discussion at the Seattle Unreal Fest earlier this week, the free mobile game giveaway will launch in Q4, 2024, and the publisher will add third-party apps to its mobile store at the same time. Epic Games Store's general manager, Steve Allison, who announced the program, was pretty up-front about Epic's intentions with the game giveaway: "The free games program will launch in Q4 along with the [first] third-party apps showing up, and we're gonna have some awesome stuff for players that will also be awesome for developers because it'll help us scale really quickly."
While many of the games featured in the Epic Games weekly free game giveaway have been obscure indie titles, there have been a fair few AAA standouts, like Control, Borderlands 3, and the Tomb Raider trilogy. While the free game giveaways are undoubtedly going to be an interesting addition for gamers, the introduction of third-party developers is arguably more important for the health of the Epic Games Store in the long run, especially if the store wants to be profitable. Epic's other announcements at the Unreal Fest this past week are also indicative of its future plans for the Epic Games Store, with new discount deals and Unreal Engine collaborations incentivizing developers to publish their games on the Epic Games Store first or at the same time as on other platforms.

Epic says it will have "between 10 and 50" third-party applications on its mobile store before the holiday season, although there are still some unfinished features, like payments systems, that may require some of these apps and games to be delayed. The Epic Games Store has faced a rather public uphill battle for profitability, with Epic having recently had to resort to laying off over 800 employees due to overspending. Epic isn't likely to have a much easier time launching a mobile storefront this late in the game, especially since that storefront is only available on iOS in the EU, leaving only Android for the US—the world's second-largest video game market and the country with the highest number of iPhone users.
Source: Mobilegamer.biz
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58 Comments on Epic Games To Bring Free Game Giveaways to Mobile Store To Tempt Players Away from Google, Apple

#51
WereCatf
I've never been into mobile gaming. I absolutely despise the touchscreen experience and I don't like modern mobile games, either; I want my games to be pay-once, not microtransaction-filled hellscapes, and I want depth and complexity from the games I play, but modern mobile games are simple, shallow and boring experiences. Literally the only mobile game I've so far enjoyed is...the Android-port of XCOM. There are very few full, proper games like that for Android.

My gut tells me that this Epic Games thing will focus on the mainstream, simplistic, microtransaction filled ones.
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#52
Keivz
WereCatfI've never been into mobile gaming. I absolutely despise the touchscreen experience and I don't like modern mobile games, either; I want my games to be pay-once, not microtransaction-filled hellscapes, and I want depth and complexity from the games I play, but modern mobile games are simple, shallow and boring experiences. Literally the only mobile game I've so far enjoyed is...the Android-port of XCOM. There are very few full, proper games like that for Android.

My gut tells me that this Epic Games thing will focus on the mainstream, simplistic, microtransaction filled ones.
There are plenty of ‘pay once, no ads’ games on mobile. Been playing through Hyper Light Drifter (great game) lately then will move on to Sympthony of the Night. Also, there are other, free with Netflix games that are equally as good and otherwise don’t contain ads like Sonic Mania, Hades, TMNT: Shredders Revenge, GTA: Collection, and Dead Cells to name a few. And why is this thread acting like the Backbone or the MG-X Pro (which I use and it’s fantastic) don’t exist? These games on mobile are well suited for an in and out gaming experience especially if you watch live sports (play during ad breaks or halftime), or have a family where getting time in front of your pc can be challenging.

And it amazes me to think that there are people who despise touchscreens so much that games like Into the Breach, Final Fantasy Tactics, or even Angry Birds would be considered far inferior with a touchscreen compared to a controller.
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#53
WereCatf
KeivzAnd why is this thread acting like the Backbone or the MG-X Pro (which I use and it’s fantastic) don’t exist?
Maybe because people haven't heard of those? I have no idea what those are, for example. I also don't know why you're even asking me to begin with.
KeivzAnd it amazes me to think that there are people who despise touchscreens so much that games like Into the Breach, Final Fantasy Tactics, or even Angry Birds would be considered far inferior with a touchscreen compared to a controller.
What does one have to do with the other? Liking or tolerating controllers isn't in any way or form related to touchscreen other than fitting under the general concept of an input method. Me, I don't like either input method, but I do vastly despise touchscreen input way more.
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#54
Keivz
WereCatfMaybe because people haven't heard of those? I have no idea what those are, for example. I also don't know why you're even asking me to begin with.

What does one have to do with the other? Liking or tolerating controllers isn't in any way or form related to touchscreen other than fitting under the general concept of an input method. Me, I don't like either input method, but I do vastly despise touchscreen input way more.
So anti touch screen and controllers then? Wow, that explains a lot. I’ll assume you’re kb/m only but I’ve learned not to assume anything at this point. Regardless, good for you. Cheers.
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#55
DudeBeFishing
I just don't have a need to play video games when I'm not home. I don't remember carrying my Gameboys or PSP out of the house.

I can see mobile games being easier in a household with a lot of people, since there most likely won't be enough space for multiple PCs and consoles. I don't trust sharing a PC with another person, and a lot of games require admin rights, so standard accounts won't work.
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#56
AusWolf
KeivzThere are plenty of ‘pay once, no ads’ games on mobile. Been playing through Hyper Light Drifter (great game) lately then will move on to Sympthony of the Night. Also, there are other, free with Netflix games that are equally as good and otherwise don’t contain ads like Sonic Mania, Hades, TMNT: Shredders Revenge, GTA: Collection, and Dead Cells to name a few. And why is this thread acting like the Backbone or the MG-X Pro (which I use and it’s fantastic) don’t exist? These games on mobile are well suited for an in and out gaming experience especially if you watch live sports (play during ad breaks or halftime), or have a family where getting time in front of your pc can be challenging.

And it amazes me to think that there are people who despise touchscreens so much that games like Into the Breach, Final Fantasy Tactics, or even Angry Birds would be considered far inferior with a touchscreen compared to a controller.
Angry Birds is fine, I'll give you that. But it doesn't compare against any story-driven PC game. Firing up something quick during an ad break is not the same as disappearing into a different world for a few hours. It amazes me that there are people who think it's a comparable experience.
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#57
Keivz
AusWolfAngry Birds is fine, I'll give you that. But it doesn't compare against any story-driven PC game. Firing up something quick during an ad break is not the same as disappearing into a different world for a few hours. It amazes me that there are people who think it's a comparable experience.
Never said they were comparable. Each has its place. I’d never give up my 77” oled / 7800x3d/4090 rig for mobile gaming. I will say give hyper light drifter a try though—there is a strong element of escapism there even on mobile if I’m honest.
Posted on Reply
#58
AusWolf
KeivzNever said they were comparable. Each has its place. I’d never give up my 77” oled / 7800x3d/4090 rig for mobile gaming. I will say give hyper light drifter a try though—there is a strong element of escapism there even on mobile if I’m honest.
That's fine - but there are people who think they are comparable, quoting sales numbers and everything. All I'm saying is that it's an apples to oranges comparison. Just because mobile games sell, it doesn't mean they provide the same experience. Tesco outsells McDonald's 10 to 1, but where do you go when you crave a Big Mac?
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