UBISOFT, one of the leading game developers, has recently announced the release of the much-anticipated video game adaptation of TOM CLANCY’S: THE DIVISION 2. The game will be sold exclusively on EPIC STORE and UPLAY, leaving the online store giant STEAM behind. This new title is due on March 15, 2019, and is supposed to set the next evolution milestone in the open-world online shooter RPG genre.
Epic Store vs Steam
EPIC GAMES, who launched their online store just a month ago, only takes 12% of the revenue generated by video game sales, while STEAM takes a whopping 30% cut from transactions. In a statement released by EPIC GAMES founder and CEO Tim Sweeney, he said they “Aim to provide the most publisher-friendly store, giving direct access to customers and an 88% revenue split, enabling game creators to further reinvest in building great games.” EPIC GAMES is already making waves in the industry and is also behind the massive hit game FORTNITE.
Moving to Greener Pastures
EPIC GAMES and UBISOFT have long enjoyed friendly business ties Chris Early. Ubisoft’s Vice President of Partnership said in a statement: “We entrust Epic to deliver a smooth journey for our fans, from preordering the game and enjoying our Beta to the launch of ‘TOM CLANCY’S: THE DIVISION 2 ’ on March 15.” He also added that “Epic continues to disrupt the video game industry, and their third-party digital distribution model is the latest example, and something Ubisoft wants to support.” With EPIC’s better revenue split, a lot of smaller developers would prefer to market their games through EPIC STORE.
The Next Big Thing
TOM CLANCY’S: THE DIVISION 2 is set seven months after a deadly virus has been released in New York City, the world is in chaos and on the brink of collapse, and humankind is barely surviving the biggest crisis the world has ever known. TOM CLANCY’S: THE DIVISION 2 will bring players into a fractured and collapsing Washington D.C. where various factions strive for power and the fate of the free world is at stake. If you can’t wait for the release, you can sign up for a chance to play the beta version!
The gaming market is ever moving and evolving; with UBISOFT making the first move, it is likely that other major gaming publishers might adopt EPIC’s business model. This could lead to a change in players’ purchasing habits and force STEAM to change their policies if they want to stay relevant in the upcoming years.
