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Microsoft Store to match Epic Games Store’s 88% cut for game developers - should Steam follow suit?A recent GDC survey overwhelmingly agrees Steam takes too much
A recent GDC survey overwhelmingly agrees Steam takes too much
Microsoft have announced plans to decrease the cut they take from sales of PC games on the Microsoft Store, with devs soon to get 88% instead of the industry standard 70%. That will bring them exactly in line with the Epic Games Store. While the Microsoft Store is undeniably rubbish as a store, this can only increase pressure on Valve to offer devs a bigger share of sales through Steam.
“Starting on August 1, the developer share of Microsoft Store PC games sales revenue will increase to 88%, from 70%,“saidSarah Bond, Microsoft’s head of game creator experience & ecosystem. “Having a clear, no-strings-attached revenue share means developers can bring more games to more players and find greater commercial success from doing so.”
The split question in GDC’s State of the Game Industry 2021 report.
The organisers of the Game Developers Conference asked devs about store cuts intheir latest annual survey. Of the “over 3000” respondents, who are mostly making PC games, only 6% of them thought 30% or more was “a justifiable amount” for a store to take. 73% of respondents went for one of the lower options. 3000-odd people isn’t a huge sample size, mind, and almost a quarter said they weren’t sure or straight didn’t know. I don’t think all stores are equal either.
The PC Gaming Weekspot: Nier Replicant Review! The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles! Resident Evil DemoWatch on YouTube
The PC Gaming Weekspot: Nier Replicant Review! The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles! Resident Evil Demo
Matt Booty, the head of Xbox Game Studios, did sayelsewheretoday that Microsoft are “bringing more quality-of-life improvements to PC gamers, including improved install reliability and faster download speeds over the next few months”. The MS Store’s shortcomings go far beyond that, but I guess it’ll be faster junk? And with a better deal for developers.
Microsoft have stood alongside Epic in their industry-defining battles before. When Epicpicked legal fights with Apple and Googleover app store cuts, Microsoft piped up with a declaration of “app store principles” that sure seemed to be jabbing at the two phonelords. While I’d like to say we’re seeing companies set aside differences to fight for what’s right, I think it’s more likely a lot of opportune unspoken alliances as they jostle to secure better positions against bigger rivals. But if any of it does change things for the better, that would certainly still be nice.
