Epic is working hard to improve its game store launcher, but Newzoo analyst Emmanuel Rouzière doubts whether such changes can significantly alter its position relative to Steam. According to the analyst, Valve has successfully made Steam the standard platform for PC gamers. Meanwhile, Epic is still optimizing and revamping its launcher; in other words, they haven't even gotten the basic functions right.
Rouzière believes Epic's main problem is that users have already formed the habit of using Steam. Part of the reason the Epic Games Store attracts its audience is by regularly giving away free games, but a significant portion of users may just claim the games without ever launching them. "I really don't see how they can turn things around, because Steam has become an unavoidable channel for all PC gamers. Epic tries to attract players by giving away free games, but people just come in, claim the free games, and don't actually play them. You know, it's almost like collecting games rather than truly playing them," said Rouzière.
The analyst believes that Epic has tried to compete on multiple fronts in recent years. This involves not only Steam but also the ecosystems of Apple and Google. Rouzière thinks it is difficult for the company to engage in all these competitive battles simultaneously. "They are trying to beat Steam, trying to beat Apple and Google Play, but they don't have enough strength to fight all these battles at once," Rouzière added.
Meanwhile, the analyst holds a much higher opinion of Epic's prospects as a game developer. He cites Fortnite as a major direction and points out that the company is actively developing this game, which in his view is yielding results. Rouzière also notes that Fortnite is increasingly becoming a comprehensive gaming platform, featuring characters and elements from well-known game franchises around the world.
Therefore, in the view of this Newzoo analyst, Epic's problems are not limited to technical flaws in its launcher. Even after major updates, the store service will still face a platform that is firmly entrenched among PC gamers. Rouzière himself remains highly skeptical about Epic's prospects as a competitor to Steam.