Epic Games Store overhaul might be “too little, too late”, says Newzoo analyst
Epic Games has announced a major overhaul of its Games Store platform, introducing a faster, redesigned storefront with tailored recommendations and improved navigation. However, industry analysts are skeptical about whether these improvements will meaningfully challenge Steam’s dominance in the PC gaming market.
Emmanuel Rosier, director of market intelligence at Newzoo, stated bluntly that “I don’t see how they can recover at this point.” His analysis centers on Steam’s entrenched market position and the inherent limitations of Epic’s strategy. While Epic has invested heavily in free game giveaways to attract players, Rosier argues this approach has failed to build lasting engagement. Players tend to consolidate their libraries on a single launcher rather than maintaining multiple platforms, prioritizing convenience over variety.
More significantly, Rosier notes that Epic’s free game promotions sometimes inadvertently boost sales on Steam instead of the Epic Games Store, as players choose to purchase titles on their preferred platform regardless of where they discovered them.
The broader challenge facing Epic is not technology or features, but the network effect of Steam’s established user base and the inherent convenience of maintaining a single gaming library. Despite substantial investment and improved functionality, Epic Games Store continues to struggle with player adoption and retention in a market where Steam holds a commanding lead.