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Epic launching large set of cross-platform game services originally built for Fortnite for free
- Thread starter Ghost
- Start date
Considering the somewhat murky nature of Epic's Store being in compliance with GDPR I can't help but to wonder of the future in regards to this stuff. Especially when less privacy concerned parties are at the top of the chain.
It works in fortnite because it's the biggest game in the world so other platforms had to basically concede to Epic. The console makers are ok with cross platform play (well not sony) but I really doubt they'll be ok with Epic taking away their middle man role for lots of other games in regards to voice chat and the other things listed. This feels like Epic promising the world when in reality they can only control what happens on their own place.
Oh for me it would make double dipping more palatable but I don't think Blizzard would see it that way. Time played, level, achivements and unlocks would be cross progression and mmr and comp stuff would be platform specific. It would be perfect.
Cross-progression is the main thing for me here. It's something I want in every game. It doesn't benefit the publisher to not have it either. I'd actively double dip on multiple titles if I could have cross-progression. Like i'd end up buying Anthem on both Xbox and PC if it had cross-progression, but instead i'm going to buy one platform and stick to it.
It's one of the main benefits of Microsoft's Play Anywhere stuff for me. I hope it's something that more games hop on if Epic gives them an easy way to implement it.
It's one of the main benefits of Microsoft's Play Anywhere stuff for me. I hope it's something that more games hop on if Epic gives them an easy way to implement it.
They already do cross platform for SOME skins. The Blizzard skins (with the B next to them) such as Officer D-Va and Kerrigan Widowmaker already go cross platform as long as you link your Bnet account.
Completely agree. Sometimes I want to play in the office on my PC, other times I want to sit on the couch. Fortnite is the only game that really enables me to do this now (XPA has been mostly single player games, plus Gears and Forza).
If it makes the isolated PS4 ecosystem open to every platform, then I'm in all devs should adopt it.
It's as if Epic have a plan to roll out features steadily. I can imagine there's a desire to test each one carefully before moving on to the next so that they're not just posting broken features to the marketplace and hoping it's enough to compete with Steam.
This is more of an attack against Unity than against Valve/Steam.
EDIT: Apparently these integrations will be available for Unity as well.
EDIT: Apparently these integrations will be available for Unity as well.
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its a logistical nightmare, and despite their announced roadmap, they may not succeed as you need cooperation from all the console makers. in theory, very cool, but reality is to wait and see how things turn out.
Tbh MS already does cross platform parties between Xbox and PC (and matchmaking for games that support cross play between Xbox and PC). They've been doing this for like years now and actually 10 years if you count cross platform voice chat (non party). You don't even need to be playing the same game, you can even just play on steam and be in the same party as your friend on Xbox through the cross platform party chat they have.
Cross-platform mp stuff doesn't sound bad actually. But it's still a whole year. This is were steam lacks, they allow it but don't have any tools.
I mean why would they add? Steam isn't a game so it doesn't need cross-play. ;)
Devs are free to use anything though. Developers already use GoG Galaxy for example, which support Steam/Gog crossplay.
I mean why would they add? Steam isn't a game so it doesn't need cross-play. ;)
Devs are free to use anything though. Developers already use GoG Galaxy for example, which support Steam/Gog crossplay.
Absolutely. I'm not super optimistic, but I'm happy to see a plan for adding feature sets actually exists. If they want to make Steam think hard about current practices, they need to at least expand their feature set in a way that addresses the biggest concerns from developers and gamers. This is a start.
I also think this contradicts a lot of the outright Anti-Epic stuff we've been reading up to this point, but they still have tons of time to screw up too.
i dont think any of this ties into the epic store specifically. you could see games on Steam using the same underlying epic tech.
It doesn't yet, but there's almost no way they aren't thinking about integration of features at this point, especially since they are thinking about catering to specific developers over the next couple of years.
then theres no way you'll see big publishers use this, they're not going to give up their storefronts to enable cross platform.
Do you think developers would have the option to be selective about which features they activate?
I'm guessing it's something indie developers would benefit most from, especially if they have plans to put their games on Switch at some point. I think there's already proof that Switch gamers don't mind waiting and if the exclusivity dissolves after one year, there's a chance this will be implemented on numerous small scales instead of on AAA titles where Sony might get in the way.
as someone who owns every current system i would love a day when i buy a game and/or DLCs/microtransactions/etc just ONCE and can play the same character/setup anywhere. For example I own black ops 4 on ps4 and PC but pretty much only play on PS4, because its a huge time investment to grind out skins and stuff and I am not double dipping that. A major reason why I don't play destiny 2 anymore either, I'd love to switch to PC from ps4 but no way in hell am I releveling and stuff again.
Division 2, RDR 2, gta 5, Overwatch, etc all love consumers who double dip and bring them double or triple revenue from sales but I think long term they are hurting themselves as people drop out of their "ecosystem" due to no cross save/play.
Division 2, RDR 2, gta 5, Overwatch, etc all love consumers who double dip and bring them double or triple revenue from sales but I think long term they are hurting themselves as people drop out of their "ecosystem" due to no cross save/play.
No, dw I know what you mean. It's more the fact that this will be doing this with support for potentially any game released using their services
Yeah and needing to give Epic their customer information is going to be big no-no for many. This is good for indie who have less players, so everyone can be in one pool rather than each platform having it's own.
But there's many problems to solve, before this can happen.
All around great news. Could be a huge sea change for multiplayer games on top of the progress already made in recent years.
Honestly, aside from their moneyhatting and a few other shitfuckery, I don't dislike Epic.
Their new cut for their asset store creators (and the backpay!) was pretty cool.
UE4 being open source was pretty damn cool.
The amount of support they're giving to Fortnite is quite cool.
This crossplay thingie also being free for Unity users is super cool.
Their new cut for their asset store creators (and the backpay!) was pretty cool.
UE4 being open source was pretty damn cool.
The amount of support they're giving to Fortnite is quite cool.
This crossplay thingie also being free for Unity users is super cool.
Likewise for Warframe.
I was so stoked to play it on Switch only to learn I couldn't transfer my data back to PC.
Samurai Shodown and the next KOF should use the Epic Store for cross play even if that means making it exclusive.
Cross-saves and trophy support is really good, but I presume people will see it eventually only on new games, I doubt developers go back to their console titles to patch them out in order to support those features. Also ok, the features are planned, but I wonder if Sony will agree to that. I mean, people needed to rant months to have Fortnite cross-play, and that's just one game.
Interesting enough Valve actually implemented cross-trophies and cross-saves back in days for Portal 2 on Ps3 and it worked quite well, but never happened after that, so I presume the technology already exist but for some reasons they never pushed it after that single game.
Cross-play already exist too for some titles on Steam like Street Fighter V, but again it's a thing that should be allowed by developers, even in this case the tech is in place already. But good luck on implementing it in fps like Doom or Overwatch, that won't ever happen.
Interesting enough Valve actually implemented cross-trophies and cross-saves back in days for Portal 2 on Ps3 and it worked quite well, but never happened after that, so I presume the technology already exist but for some reasons they never pushed it after that single game.
Cross-play already exist too for some titles on Steam like Street Fighter V, but again it's a thing that should be allowed by developers, even in this case the tech is in place already. But good luck on implementing it in fps like Doom or Overwatch, that won't ever happen.
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I hope everyone understands that their new cut will go up regardless of them saying it's permanent this is just something they are no doubt planning to do as there's not a chance they're going to let a store lose them more and more money the bigger it gets. UE4 I mean sure it's open source but it doesn't really change too much? Most developers aren't going to UE4, because it's open source it's more of the feature set it has.
Fortnite support is literally just skins and map changes. I wish there was something more to this lol. PUBG is actually supporting their game with new weapons on a much quicker scale then Fortnite. (I don't actually think EPIC has put in a single new map), and PUBG has 4 maps now to play on which is much better support then Epic is doing for fortnite.
This crossplay thing is literally a matchmaking service that's all it is. There's no servers behind this at all.
They are basically spending the time to rip these features out of fortnite and into the epic store, low effort as fuck from Epic. As much of a nice thing it is to see a roadmap.
I a few days ago this was a battle between Fortnite money and Dota/CSGo warchest and this is clearly the case now. A lot of people will be happy with epice if they deliver at least half these features without any serious or annoying bureaucratic issues by Christmas next year.
I primarily play Fortnite on console, but it's liberating being able to open StW as I multitask on PC to claim my daily login when I have no intention of actively playing, or checking to see if my daily and Battle Pass challenges in BR are something undemanding that I can knock out on mobile when I'd otherwise be doing something else of low value on my phone. I just don't keep up with other GaaS games' daily/weekly whatevers as much when I have to be on a particular stationary platform to clear them - if I sit down at my consoles I'll choose a different experience than GaaS busywork if I don't see my friends online w/ interest of squading up.
I know the daily stuff sounds pretty silly when typed out like that (and it's lower priority to me than other aspects of cross-progression), but I appreciate it and I'm sure Epic loves it and other companies would love to get in on that specific kinda dedicated engagement because of cross-progression.
Hmm saw some other folks reply yes but I'm sure I just said no when I set the game up for my kid on switch, didn't make an epic account or anything. I think it just told me that if I didn't link in future I could lose anything purchased if I lost my save data or whatever.
I long for the eventual platform agnostic future, where I don't have to bother another friend about what platform they are playing on.
Not a fan of their store or some of their other tactics but I do support this. Cross platform play should be standard across the board in this day and age.
No mention of proper review system that's not just Opt-In by devs, forums/guides, controllers, and a refund system that doesn't cap you to 2 refunds per lifetime of the account though.
"to the full extent each platform allows per-title" seems like it could be a pretty big issue. Sony and/or Microsoft could easily clamp down on this hard on their own platforms and disallow large parts of it.
Still, just having cross-play and cross-saves would be a pretty big deal if they could get those through.
Still, just having cross-play and cross-saves would be a pretty big deal if they could get those through.