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Epic Games to cut more than 1k jobs as Fortnite usage falls

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541–550 of 584 posts

Re: Epic Games to cut more than 1k jobs as Fortnite usage falls

#541

If you look at the technical state of Unreal Engine 5, then how modern GPUs can barely run games without frame generation which also makes them look blurry, then you are not surprised. Its not just gamers but also developers who are fed up with the status quo of how games are done these days. The big use case for UE moved from technical excellence to churning through people who can work on your game for hiring conven…

> ... they failed to keep the momentum and stopped taking risks.

This is a problem that infects all of the large studios now, from Epic to EA, Ubisoft, etc. My read on it is that it feels less risky to double-down on an exiting successful live service game like Fortnite or Rainbow Six Siege. That's probably true for ~5 years. After those ~5 years, it's far riskier to continue investing in the game than it is to start winding it down into maintenance mode while working on new titles or IP. The related risk is assuming that since the one title was huge that players are going to crave other titles in the same brand or franchise. For example, Ubisoft's assumption that Rainbow Six Extraction would naturally follow the success of Rainbow Six Siege.

These companies get addicted to the recurring revenue stream and pivot their businesses under the incorrect assumption they will last forever, at the expense of new projects.

Re: Epic Games to cut more than 1k jobs as Fortnite usage falls

#542
post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Epic Games store/browser is awful. I have bought one (insanely discounted) game on it and get all the free games, because i like to collect videogames. But i almost never play them, because the application is super slow. Steam has absolutely the best application, then (with a huge enormous gap) comes Gog, Amazon, Xbox, EA, Ubisoft and Epic at the rock bottom. I don't use Blizzards program, so i can't judge on tha…

> then (with a huge enormous gap) comes Gog My favourite thing about GOG is that it uniquely does not demand that you install their software, instead letting you download installers straight from the website. They're not fake netinstallers either, which doubles as a guarantee that I keep all of my games even if GOG goes bankrupt/bans my account/wipes my library/etc.

That's true. There is indeed absolutely no need to use Gog Galaxy.

Re: Epic Games to cut more than 1k jobs as Fortnite usage falls

#543
post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Epic Games store/browser is awful. I have bought one (insanely discounted) game on it and get all the free games, because i like to collect videogames. But i almost never play them, because the application is super slow. Steam has absolutely the best application, then (with a huge enormous gap) comes Gog, Amazon, Xbox, EA, Ubisoft and Epic at the rock bottom. I don't use Blizzards program, so i can't judge on tha…

> i like to collect videogames Starting thinking of it as collection licenses to maybe install games, assuming the license is still valid when you finally get around to playing it. And your account is still valid. And the servers are still running. And your operating system will still run it. etc. Maybe just get off the train. Your numbers add to the awful business model these games are built on.

You are absolutely right that they are just licenses and there always be a risk i cannot download or play the games anymore because of some decision. In that perspective Gog is absolutely the best. No doubt about that.

But so far, Steam has been really good to/for me.

Re: Epic Games to cut more than 1k jobs as Fortnite usage falls

#544

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Another big thing is trust. With any of these digital markets I'm not truly buying games, I'm purchasing a revocable license. That requires a certain amount of trust that the platform isn't going to screw me over. Steam isn't perfect: they initially had to be forced to offer refunds, and their item economy enables barely disguised gambling. But by and large they have behaved very predictably and consumer-friendly. So…

The big "test" there for Steam will be when "Gabe goes away". It's gonna happen sooner or later.

One thing to keep in mind is that Valve is fully private so Gabe can not just be replaced by some random person by a board of directors like in other companies.

He probably already has a will set up that details how ownership should be transferred.

Re: Epic Games to cut more than 1k jobs as Fortnite usage falls

#545
post #317
post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's still funny to me that they would rather burn 9 figures in cash on these silly deals to try and 'trap' gamers on their platform instead of just... I don't know... making a better platform? The reason nobody competes with Steam is simply the sheer number of integration and platform features that make it easy to buy, play and share games with my friends. It's not that hard, stop trying to 'force' me to use your pl…

> The reason nobody competes with Steam is simply the sheer number of integration and platform features that make it easy to buy, play and share games with my friends. I don't agree. The reason I personally prefer Steam is that all my existing games are on Steam so if I keep buying on Steam I don't have to make and maintain accounts on other stores, if I keep buying my games on Steam I can keep using Steam as my only…

The big one for me is linux support, followed by steam input remapping. Input remapping, turbo, combo / chord buttons is incredibly important for accessibility.

Re: Epic Games to cut more than 1k jobs as Fortnite usage falls

#546
post #495
post #451

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They are working for money, not coerced with a gun pointing at them. They are free to leave as they please and often do.

The vast majority of people have to work in order to leave and for the same majority leaving employment is not easy and frequently not an option because they risk being unemployed for long periods of time. Or when they do leave the new place is even worse.

*in order to live

Re: Epic Games to cut more than 1k jobs as Fortnite usage falls

#547

Epic's 2019 P&L was published as part of Epic v. Apple. According to that: * Fortnight revenue was $5.5B in 2018 and $3.8B in 2019 * Employee counts in those years: 1063 and 1932 * Average "People" cost per employee: $141K, $142K (CPI adjusted is $182K in 2026). * Average "Production & Hosting" cost per employee: $189K, $150K (CPI $248K, $194K) * Platform royalty expenses were 25% of total game revenue * Slightly und…

A lot of things have changed in the labor market since 2019.

Re: Epic Games to cut more than 1k jobs as Fortnite usage falls

#548
post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They aren't losing money on Fortnite, they're losing money on vanity projects like the Epic Game Store where they spend tens of millions of dollars for exclusivity deals with developers, and give away free games to try to poach Steam users with an otherwise inferior product. Unfortunately it is their employees that are paying the price of leadership making it rain with their overflowing coffers they couldn't help but…

It's still funny to me that they would rather burn 9 figures in cash on these silly deals to try and 'trap' gamers on their platform instead of just... I don't know... making a better platform? The reason nobody competes with Steam is simply the sheer number of integration and platform features that make it easy to buy, play and share games with my friends. It's not that hard, stop trying to 'force' me to use your pl…

Last I checked the Epic Games Store doesn't even support Linux - the new gaming frontier.

Re: Epic Games to cut more than 1k jobs as Fortnite usage falls

#549

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can run Epic and GoG games in Steamdeck. All Steam had to do is not block them.

Right and itch.io and much besides. However, these integrations are janky and not built in as first class console experiences. Not that they need to be necessarily, I think having the steam store is enough in many respects. But for me, the dream is being able to browse and install games from itch.io with the same convenience as steam itself. So there's at least notionally and unclaimed lane for providing that kind of…

Does Itch have a CLI for installing the games?

From Heroic's FAQ, that's the first step for adding support to the store.

https://github.com/Heroic-Games-Launcher/HeroicGamesLauncher...

Not exactly first class, but one step away.

Re: Epic Games to cut more than 1k jobs as Fortnite usage falls

#550

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, you goto be good nowadays, you compete against the whole worlds dreamy eyed teeangers wanting to make "their"game. A wellfunded, pig-trough-slop-mill ala hollywood can not compete against that when it comes to fun, art and experiences. They fled into gambling, but gamers actively ostracize lootboxers nowadays.

> gamers actively ostracize lootboxers nowadays. Gamers love, love, love lootboxes. Can't get enough of them. There are many lootbox games with 10-100s of millions of players. The Reddit/HN vocal minority who hate lootboxes (myself included) probably represent <5%, if that.

Given the love of Valve I’d bet Reddit/HN love lootboxes too, seeing Dota/TF2/CS all implemented them.
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