Epic Games Store introduces new PC apps for its users

[jsilva]

In brief: Following the launch of Spotify, Epic Game Store's first app, users can now download the Itch-io indie game store, the Brave web browser, the iHeartRadio streaming radio app, the model generator KenShape, and the digital painting app Krita. All apps are now available on the Store's App page. Epic Games promises more apps will come later this year.

Out of the five new apps available in the Epic Game Store, the most interesting one has to be Itch-io. With the indie video game store available to download on EGS, you can essentially download a game store from another game store to play games that aren't available in the latter. Both stores are somewhat completing each other.

Besides Itch-io, Epic Games also added the open-source web browser Brave. Featuring a built-in ad and website tracker blocker, Brave is also known for the recently launched BAT (Basic Attention Token), an Ethereum-based system used to track media consumers' time and attention on websites through the browser.

Another app added to the EGS was Kenshape, a 2D to 3D model generator compatible with most video game engines. Epic Games also introduced to EGS the Krita app, used to make digital illustrations, comics, animations, sketches, and paintings, and iHeartRadio (NA only), the famous and free music, podcasting, and live streaming radio service.

In the future, EGS will receive more apps, including Houseparty, a social network with group video chat, and Discord, the popular communication and digital distribution platform loved by gamers worldwide. If you want to know more about other upcoming Epic Games Store features, you can take a tool at its public roadmap.

In addition to all the new apps, Epic Games has also partnered up with Spotify to offer all Fortnite Crew Members three months of Premium subscription at no cost. This promotion only applies to new Spotify Premium subscribers.

The launch of new apps in the Epic Games Store might not generate much direct revenue, but it should increase its popularity, therefore helping Epic recoup the costs it had with the store.

On another note, the introduction of apps to the Epic Games Store shows that the company plans to expand beyond games, creating something more akin to the Google Play Store and App Store, from which Fortnite was removed.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/89427-epic-games-store-introduces-new-pc-apps-users.html

 

[MaitieS]

Damn I wish they would add something more useful like Player Profiles (like on Steam) or Workshop or Better Friendlist and so on... Who will even use this ****?

 

[Kirby1]

PC users hate the epic store. This won't change that. Only kids use it for fortnite.

 

[terzaerian]

As if we needed more proof that Epic doesn't want to dethrone tyrants, it just wants to take thrones

 

[terzaerian]

PC users hate the epic store. This won't change that. Only kids use it for fortnite.

Unfortunately, the cheap ones don't.

 

[envirovore]

Damn I wish they would add something more useful like Player Profiles (like on Steam) or Workshop or Better Friendlist and so on... Who will even use this ****?

I'm sort of confused by this as well.
Why would I log into a service to download a browser?
I suppose it removes the step of having to look up the vendors site, but then replaces it with the step of having to log into their store and then finding it.
Does it tie the browser (I'm just using that as one example, but this applies across the whole scope) to the launcher then, so to use Brave one would have to launch and login to EGS?

Seems silly if so. If they install as a stand alone product, and EGS is just acting as a middle man provider here, okay...you just want in on the Google Play or MS/apple store action.

I realize Steam offers sort of the same thing, what with 3D Mark and such available there, but those offerings make a bit more sense as well, why not have benchmarking utilities available through a gaming store front?

 

[Dimitriid]

Oh look: Our priority is getting people to use Brave browser. A tool that's notorious for generating money, I am sure there's noooo monetary incentive in the form of refferals for Epic going on in the background they just you know, wanted to get all the succeptible gaming kids using Fortnite to download and install a crypto browser and start hashing....Right?

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Oh look: Our priority is getting people to use Brave browser. A tool that's notorious for generating money, I am sure there's noooo monetary incentive in the form of refferals for Epic going on in the background they just you know, wanted to get all the succeptible gaming kids using Fortnite to download and install a crypto browser and start hashing....Right?

The crypto generated goes to the user who can then spend it to support websites as he/she chooses. It's a great tool for supporting smaller websites that get screwed over by the Google empire.

 

[terzaerian]

The crypto generated goes to the user who can then spend it to support websites as he/she chooses. It's a great tool for supporting smaller websites that get screwed over by the Google empire.

Not to mention that intimating the browser mines is blatant misinformation. Brave's BAT program is, first of all, wholly opt-in, and second of all, awards BAT on the basis of ads viewed, the token isn't mined by the browser, and is based on the Ethereum network which is transitioning to mining-free Proof of Stake this year.

At this point I find it hard to determine if Dimitriid's posts on crypto are just that misinformed or maliciously so.

 

[Dimitriid]

The crypto generated goes to the user who can then spend it to support websites as he/she chooses. It's a great tool for supporting smaller websites that get screwed over by the Google empire.

1) I cannot in good conscience support anyone who does things with crypto even if there's a positive outcome, the negatives far outweighs it to me overall

2) Even if you completely disagree on 1) that's ok: The point is that Epic is rushing to support and redistribute a feature NOBODY asked for, this web browser, instead of features tons of people continually request on their store, mostly because in all likelihood they stand to benefit a lot as a referral partner to the Brave browser people: it's not all "support people you like!" altruistically: we know Brave has referral programs and someone on the scale of Epic stands to gain a lot of money from those referral installs.

 

[amghwk]

PC users hate the epic store. This won't change that. Only kids use it for fortnite.

Unfortunately, only immature kids hate Epic for their efforts. Being loyal to only Steam is not a reason to hate Epic.

True gamers will make use of whatever platforms give the best for the gamers.

If a gamer is getting good offers for a game, then the gamer should make use of it, no matter what the platform or distribution.

Epic is not robbing the developers.

Developers know better than you than to submit to Epic.

Epic is paying from it's own pocket for exclusives.

Quit b!tching.

If you want to defend your policies, reflect back on your life. How much of it is dependent on your principles.

 

[Angga B]

Unfortunately, only immature kids hate Epic for their efforts. Being loyal to only Steam is not a reason to hate Epic.

True gamers will make use of whatever platforms give the best for the gamers.

If a gamer is getting good offers for a game, then the gamer should make use of it, no matter what the platform or distribution.

Epic is not robbing the developers.

Developers know better than you than to submit to Epic.

Epic is paying from it's own pocket for exclusives.

Quit b!tching.

If you want to defend your policies, reflect back on your life. How much of it is dependent on your principles.

I use Epic, also GoG, thanks to Techspot, mostly to collect their free games and end up bought some good games which were being heavily discounted. Not bad at all.

However I also agree that with every other private big techs there will always questions on their business practices and policies. We as customers needs to have high awareness and actively protect ourselves from any deceptive plans they might have. Some of them are burning money to "acquire" customers, as most big techs also do, acknowledge that and be wary of their attempt to get the payback LATER.

If we like the product then just pay and that should be it. The transaction should be straightforward, fair and square, without strings attached. Anything else happened, leave.

 

[Kirby1]

Unfortunately, only immature kids hate Epic for their efforts. Being loyal to only Steam is not a reason to hate Epic.

True gamers will make use of whatever platforms give the best for the gamers.

If a gamer is getting good offers for a game, then the gamer should make use of it, no matter what the platform or distribution.

Epic is not robbing the developers.

Developers know better than you than to submit to Epic.

Epic is paying from it's own pocket for exclusives.

Quit b!tching.

If you want to defend your policies, reflect back on your life. How much of it is dependent on your principles.

That's a pretty ignorant reply. There are lots of very legitimate reasons to dislike epic. The fact they they're controlled by a chinese company alone is reason enough.

 

[GLenn63]

Unfortunately, only immature kids hate Epic for their efforts. Being loyal to only Steam is not a reason to hate Epic.

True gamers will make use of whatever platforms give the best for the gamers.

If a gamer is getting good offers for a game, then the gamer should make use of it, no matter what the platform or distribution.

Epic is not robbing the developers.

Developers know better than you than to submit to Epic.

Epic is paying from it's own pocket for exclusives.

Quit b!tching.

If you want to defend your policies, reflect back on your life. How much of it is dependent on your principles.

I almost always got screwed when I made a stand on principle. It can be a high price to pay sometimes.