Many game developers have shifted to release their games on the Epic Games Store, but the upstart platform has proven surprisingly controversial. A report outlining Control developer Remedy Entertainment’s deal with Epic grants a clearer picture into the money and percentages that draw in high profile games.
A financial report from Digital Bros (via gamedaily.biz) indicates that Remedy and publisher 505 Games got a deal of 9.49 million euros in bringing the game to the Epic Games Store.
That’s around $15 million, which was then divided between the two parties, with 505 taking 45 per cent of that total and the larger sum of 55 per cent going to Remedy. This deal is part of a larger exchange between 505 Games and Epic that will also see the upcoming sci-fi exploration game Journey to the Savage Planet released exclusively on the Epic Games Store.
The 9.49 million euro number has been reported as a deal for Control’s exclusivity, but that payment is not merely a cash sum paid in exchange for the rights to sell the game. It is an advance on future sales revenue.
This payment ensures that developers are making a lump sum right away, rather than waiting for money to dribble in as copies of the game are sold. Said security and up-front payment might make releasing games on the Epic Games Store more appealing, particularly for developers of independent games, like Hades developer Supergiant Games or Ooblets’ designer Gumberland. Both of those games initially released exclusively on the Epic Game Store, although Hades will be available on Steam starting in December.
“The upfront money they’re providing means we’ll be able to afford more help and resources to start ramping up production and doing some cooler things,” Ooblets designer Ben Wasser explained in a blog post last month. Gumberland was later targeted in a harassment campaign after this announcement.
The deal between Remedy and Epic isn’t new for the platform, but the release of these numbers does help put some of the inner workings in perspective. Steam is facing increased competition from the Epic Games Store and has been adjusting its look and its algorithms recently. Epic continues to draw in developers and games, including the loot shooter Borderlands 3. The model seems to be working, to the presumed delight of some publishers and the continued confusion and occasional frustration of some gamers.
Leave a Reply