Games

Here are some reasons:

• exclusivity deals, forcing them to drop from steam even after they first announced release on there. They also target crowdfunded games like phoenixpoint.

• The launcher is spyware

https://www.resetera.com/threads/developing-epic-games-launcher-appears-to-collect-your-steam-friends-play-history-up2-valve-responds-see-threadmarks.105385/

https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/epic-launcher-and-privacy/123592

• and epic is owned by tencent 40%

• They not really trying to improve their launcher but instead focus on hurting steam and by extension the users.

Its like some shady guy trying to lure kids to a van by offering free candy.

The launcher is security risk for your system https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckepic/comments/1hm9mh9/epic_games_launcher_had_a_serious_security_flaw/

Even if they have fixed that specific issue, why would you believe they have fixed anything else?

Epic Games Launcher Incorrect Default Permissions Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

CVSS SCORE

7.8

This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Epic Games Launcher. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability.

The specific flaw exists within the product installer. The product applies incorrect default permissions to a sensitive folder. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM.

DISCLOSURE TIMELINE

2024-07-16 - Vulnerability reported to vendor
2024-12-04 - Coordinated public release of advisory
2024-12-06 - Advisory Updated

That timeline is disgusting

So in essence, its not bad because it trys to compete with steam. Its bad because they really dont try to compete and just do anti-user things. And people dont care because "yay free games I'm never going to look at again".

If you want to see what actual competition looks like at the moment, take a look at GOG.

We don't own our games anymore, so I need to know my library's going to stick around if I'm going to invest in it. Last I heard, EGS hasn't made a profit, so that doesn't exactly inspire confidence in me that it'll still be around in five years.

I think competition is the answer to a lot of problems consumers face, but unfortunately the "are you going to be there tomorrow?" problem is going to be a major disadvantage for any storefront that competes with Steam. It's why my most preferred shop is GOG, because I still have all my games with them if they close up.

Tim Sweeney is an obnoxious hypocritical dickhead who has only gotten worse and stupider and more hostile over the years, he is constantly spouting anti-consumer and anti-common-sense nonsense while acting like he's saving gamers and nurturing his egotistical martyr complex. He has gotten so bad that he has contradicted his own past self so many times that for awhile there was a literal subreddit "TimCriticizesTim" devoted to it. Also EGS itself is garbage resource-guzzling software that almost nobody actually wants on their computer, most of the people who do use it do it either because they're forced to so they can play games exclusively available on it, or because Epic bribes them to by giving them free games constantly. It is nasty software that collects way more data than it needs to, spying on your files and possibly other stuff too, and they also lied about it (and as far as I know still do).

ITT: Epic is awful, Steam is great!

Me: Is GOG a joke to you people???

Here's another win for Steam:

Subnautica has a multiplayer mod, but it only works with an older version of the game. Steam lets you downgrade the version, Epic games does not.

Your question makes it sound like Epic is a small new player at the market and they are trying their best and both is not true.

Epic is actively working on enshittification, Steam, at least for now, isn't. For me it's easy as that.

I bought a couple games on epic when they were cheaper. I don't think I'd do so again.

• the client isn't as good. It's slower, the way it paginates your games (I got a lot of free ones) is annoying. It really wants to show you store stuff
• less (zero?) Linux support
• don't think it does the game recording steam does
• I don't think it has the remote play together steam does

There's probably other stuff I'm not thinking of. It's just not as good a service.

I'm just there for the free games

Console gamer here as well, though with a PC and redeeming my weekly Epic Games since a few years back. I sometimes play on my PC, but mostly games I don't have on my console.

Most of what I hear I believe it's mostly due to the Epic Launcher being quite a bit behind standard, and the store not having great costumer service policies. I think Epic's games with timed exclusivity don't garner a lot of respect from the gaming community either, as they rather have freedom of choice to purchase their games on their main storefront.

Now, I think it'll be obvious, but all of what I mentioned is further impacted by the comparison between Epic (or most other launchers, really) and Steam. Steam might as well be called the "default launcher" at this point, and naturally not everyone can compete (or they don't want to) with the numerous and consistently good business decisions Steam tends to have, which keeps it in the top.

Not only that, and even though I still benefit from it, I'd say Epic's strategy of offering weekly free games might feel like a sort of 'obvious bribe' to some, a cheap way to try and vainly make gamers turn on their main competitor. Which isn't really moving the needle that much, because gamers preference for Steam isn't due to free games, but good and consumer-oriented business practices.

I'm sure from gamer to gamer there's more depth to this, but I'd say that's the gist of it.

Having healthy competition is a good thing and I've wished for a competitor to Steam for a long time until one day the monkey's paw curled and we got Epic Game Store. To sum it up:

• Epic actively tries to introduce exclusivity deals to PC, something that goes very much against the nature of the platform. It is something we're supposed to be above on PC and let console players deal with. PC gamers simply don't want fragmentation in the market. We hate all the different shitty launchers publishers are making for the same reason too.
• Epic has a very hostile attitude towards Linux. Their anti cheat for example by default detects the mere fact of using Linux as a hack. For a long time if their anti cheat was included it was an absolute no go on Linux. Their store also works like crap on Linux, if at all.
• EGS lacks necessities for then to call themselves a good store like reviews, good support and refund policies, ease of mod support, wishlists, etc.
• Their UI is just plain bad.

But the main point is the first one. If they bothered making a good store they wouldn't need to make most of PC gamers angry by introducing exclusivity deals, but they can't be bothered to do that, so they go for hostile competition instead at the detriment of the customers.

My dislike of epic is that they seem to be buying their way into competing, instead of actually competing on features.

Free games sounds good now, but what happens when the fortnite gravy train runs out, and epic needs to start making a profit? They'll likely have to enshittify fast.

Steam at least has a solid history of being generally good. But who knows what will happen if Gaben ever ascends.

As a customer, why would I ever shop at Epic if the game is also available on Steam and typically has more features? Epic doesn't solve any problems for me and actively introduces others, like a lack of Linux support. Do I want to play Alan Wake II? Of course I do. Am I going to buy it when they could push an update tomorrow that breaks compatibility with my operating system and offers me no recourse as a customer since it was unsupported in the first place? No, I'm not.

There are things worth solving that Steam does poorly (if they also support Linux customers). Finding out if my multiplayer game will be playable without external servers is a nightmare; DRM sucks, and I want none of it; Steam's multiplayer/friends network has more downtime than is acceptable; Steam Input should be a platform agnostic library; etc. Instead of solving those problems, they made the store enticing for suppliers (publishers) but not customers. If I'm shopping someplace other than Steam, it's GOG and not Epic.