Adhering to the addition of Spotify to the Epic Game titles Shop, five more non-activity applications have been additional to Epic’s shelves—including rival video games retail store Itch.io.
The bundle of new software package deals adds some welcome new applications to the Epic Retail outlet, together with electronic arts offer Krita, open-supply internet browser Courageous, rapid ‘n’ uncomplicated 3D modelling software KenShape, and (for US people) digital radio channel iHeartRadio. These are all now shown beneath a new ‘Apps’ subcategory on the retail store, generating it a lot easier to discover matters that aren’t games.
But the genuine head-scratcher is the addition of Itch.io, a competing storefront focussed on platforming experimental indies. You can now download the Itch.io App from Epic, while I’m struggling to realize why you’d ever want to go by 1 video games application to open a 2nd.
For my funds, Itch is a improved storefront—and not just mainly because it has all my online games on it. But even though it can be a wonderful spot for launching odd experiments and managing match jams, it doesn’t have nearly the same cultural footprint as Epic. Locating a spot on Sweeney’s platform may support bring a entire lotta indies in front of a new viewers.
Epic’s motivations may possibly not be really so generous, intellect. The publisher is currently embroiled in a substantial authorized struggle with Apple in excess of the tech giant’s monopoly on iOS. Epic wants to be equipped to place its personal retail outlet on the App Store—in giving Itch a dwelling on the Epic Retail store, the company is efficiently trying to demonstrate up Apple by indicating “if we can do it, why are not able to you?”
Of training course, the Itch app will stay downloadable exterior of Epic, and it appears to be Epic will not be getting any type of lower from profits manufactured by means of the launcher. Executing so would be a tad hypocritical, presented CEO Tim Sweeney’s campaign against unfair retail store cuts, and besides—Epic has previously demonstrated it truly is eager to throw tens of millions of dollars away to make sure its storefront is below to stay.