The Epic Games Store has become increasingly popular with gamers, but when it comes to purchasing games on the platform, there is an important caveat.
If you buy a game from Epic through its store, you can only play that game if your Epic account has been linked to that specific purchase. You will not be able to access that game if you have already purchased or downloaded it elsewhere; you cannot even make use of the free-to-play version unless you are willing to pay for the full game.
This means if you want to play Fortnite on other platforms like Steam, you’ll need to buy it directly from Epic’s site. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing as Epic offers a 20% discount when you purchase the game direct from the company’s website, but this also means you won’t be able to resell it.
As we’ve seen time after time, Epic is not keen on having players sell their games on the Epic store, so you should probably consider whether or not paying for Fortnite through Epic’s own store is worthwhile.
What does Epic say
When Epic first launched its storefront back in July, it was clear that one of its major goals was to get more people playing Fortnite by offering discounted versions of the game to those who couldn’t afford to buy a copy outright at launch.
While the Epic store is now available on PC, mobile devices, PlayStation 4, Xbox One consoles, Nintendo Switch, and Google Stadia, most of these markets are saturated with options for Fortnite fans. Many people are likely to either already own a copy of the game or simply aren’t interested in installing another client on their console.
There are many sayings regarding this game but most of the players believed that they all have come to take the place of this game. After that players will not be able to get rare fortnite skins and other expensive things of this game and new games will come up. Players also say that it is a planning of many big games those who not want it.
But while many of us may have been burned by Epic in the past, the company remains committed to getting more players into Fortnite, and that includes making sure everyone has a safe environment to play within. That means Epic has decided to apply the same rules to purchases made through its own storefront as it does to sales made through third party stores like Steam.
As such, Epic has announced that it will no longer allow players to buy Fortnite licenses via any other source than Epic itself. While it didn’t specify which services would still be allowed, Epic did state that it wouldn’t accept payment for Fortnite from “any unauthorized service” going forward.
Why you should stay away
There will always be some players who prefer to buy their games from other sources because they don’t trust Epic to treat them fairly. But as long as Epic allows users to purchase Fortnite on other stores, it gives other companies the impression that it is okay for them to do the same.
In the case of Steam, for example, it doesn’t matter what Epic thinks about the practice of Valve allowing Epic to take 30% of all revenue generated through its store as a result of the arrangement. It matters to gamers because it shows that Epic is happy with its current terms of service, and therefore encourages other developers to follow suit.
We already know Epic isn’t fond of reselling games on its own store, but to ensure Fortnite customers feel safe using Epic’s own service, the company must make it very difficult for anyone else to offer a similar deal.
That may sound harsh, but Epic needs to establish a reputation for fairness and transparency if it expects to gain the support of both existing and future customers.
It’s a tough balance to strike, with Epic being careful not to alienate its biggest partners at the same time as seeking to protect its brand and its customer base.
So far, Epic hasn’t said whether or not it will change its current policy towards third-party sellers, but the fact that it has taken such action suggests that it is unlikely to remain unchanged.
Epic is currently working hard to build up its user base, but doing so is easier if it continues to work closely with a range of developers and ensures that every sale goes through its own store. If you’re looking for a way to keep money within Epic’s ecosystem, then perhaps it makes sense to invest in Fortnite instead of buying a new game elsewhere.
