Epic Games Store

Lore & Background

Epic Games Store arrived in the PC gaming landscape as a deliberate counterweight to Steam's dominance. Epic, already a heavyweight through Unreal Engine licensing, wanted a first-party retail channel where developers could keep a larger share of revenue. The 88/12 split, the weekly free-game tradition, and a deliberately different storefront aesthetic were all part of a strategy to attract both publishers and players who felt the existing ecosystem had grown stagnant.

The store's early catalogue leaned on high-profile exclusives and the gravitational pull of Epic's own titles, building a user base that, while smaller than Steam's, was engaged and eager for something new. When Mediatonic and Epic announced Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout as an Epic Games Store exclusive, it became a flashpoint. For many PC players, the game was their first encounter with the store; the bright, chaotic bean-bag spectacle of Fall Guys drew attention to a platform they had previously ignored.

The exclusivity was a double-edged sword: it gave the game a concentrated launch audience and a sense of novelty, but it also meant players on other PC ecosystems had to install a new client. Over time, as Fall Guys expanded to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in 2021, the initial exclusivity window closed, but the store's role in the game's early cultural moment remained a defining part of its story. Beyond Fall Guys, Epic Games Store has continued to shape the PC market through its free-game program, which has handed out titles ranging from indie curiosities to major AAA releases, and through its broader ecosystem of Unreal Engine tooling, the Epic Games Launcher, and cross-platform initiatives.

Its relationship with Fall Guys remains a case study in how a storefront's exclusivity strategy can both elevate and constrain a title's early trajectory.

Reader's Guide

December 2018 – Epic Games Store launches on PC, positioning itself against Steam with a higher developer revenue share and a weekly free-game model. Early catalogue is modest; the store is still building trust. 2019 – The store grows its library and refines its interface. The free-game program becomes a reliable weekly draw, pulling in players who install the launcher specifically for the giveaway. Developer relationships deepen as Epic courts mid-size studios with its 88/12 split.

August 2020 – Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout launches as an Epic Games Store exclusive on PC. The decision is widely discussed: it gives the game a concentrated audience and a sense of event, but requires PC players to adopt a new client. The store's visibility spikes as millions of bean-bag players flow through. 2021 – Fall Guys arrives on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, ending the PC exclusivity window. Epic Games Store retains the game in its catalogue, but the urgency of the exclusive period fades. The store's role shifts from "the only way to play" to "one of several ways to play."

Ongoing – Epic Games Store continues to evolve its storefront, cross-play features, and free-game programming. Its early association with Fall Guys remains a touchstone in discussions of PC platform strategy and how exclusivity can shape a game's cultural launch moment.