Epic Games: Difference between revisions
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|Industry=Video Games | |Industry=Video Games | ||
|Logo=Epic Games logo.svg | |Logo=Epic Games logo.svg | ||
|CompanyAlias=Epic Games, Inc. | |||
|Type=Private | |Type=Private | ||
|Website=https://epicgames.com/ | |Website=https://epicgames.com/ | ||
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{{Ph-C-CIS}} | {{Ph-C-CIS}} | ||
[[File:Epic Games EULA snippet.png|thumb|Snippet of Epic Games updated EULA, 18 Mar 2022.]] | |||
===Forced arbitration=== | |||
Epic Games updated their Epic Games Store policy on 18 March 2022 to include [[Forced arbitration]] in their [[Terms of Service|Terms of service]]. The users were required to agree to the new terms in order to continue using the platform. If a user did not agree to the new terms, they were effectively locked out of their library of previously purchased games and software. | |||
==Incidents== | ==Incidents== | ||
===Removal of Linux and MacOS versions of Rocket League (''2020'')=== | ===Removal of Linux and MacOS versions of Rocket League (''2020'')=== | ||
On 23 January 2020, Epic and its subsidiary {{Wplink|Psyonix}} announced that while | On 23 January 2020, Epic and its subsidiary {{Wplink|Psyonix}} announced that while [[Rocket League]] players had purchased the game with full support for Linux and MacOS, this support was being withdrawn and the game would be offline only for these operating systems, and players were directed to play the game on Windows instead.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Ending Support for MacOS and Linux |url=https://www.rocketleague.com/en/news/ending-support-for-mac-and-linux |website=Epic Games |date=23 Jan 2020 |access-date=25 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251004104111/https://www.rocketleague.com/en/news/ending-support-for-mac-and-linux |archive-date=4 Oct 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Rocket League Support for macOS and Linux (SteamOS) |url=https://www.epicgames.com/help/en-US/c-Category_RocketLeague/c-RocketLeague_TechnicalSupport/rocket-league-support-for-macos-and-linux-steamos-a000084314 |website=Epic Games |date= |access-date=25 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250819213407/https://www.epicgames.com/help/en-US/c-Category_RocketLeague/c-RocketLeague_TechnicalSupport/rocket-league-support-for-macos-and-linux-steamos-a000084314 |archive-date=19 Aug 2025}}</ref> Many speculated that the change was in relation to Psyonix's acquisition by Epic Games several months earlier. According to [[wikipedia:Variety (magazine)|Variety]]: <blockquote>After the transition, Epic said it will continue to support the Steam version for all existing purchasers. Epic clarified to Variety that means continued patches, DLC and all other content that hits the PC version of the game through the Epic Game Store will also appear on Steam for those who already own the game.</blockquote><ref>{{Cite web |title=Epic Games to Acquire ‘Rocket League’ Developer Psyonix, Game Shifts to Epic Game Store |date=1 May 2019 |url=https://variety.com/2019/gaming/news/epic-games-to-acquire-psyonix-1203202663/ |url-status=live |website=variety.com |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/zCYe0 |archive-date=25 Jun 2026}}</ref> | ||
===Fortnite excluded from Steam Deck (''2022'')=== | ===Fortnite excluded from Steam Deck (''2022'')=== | ||
In February 2022, [[Valve]] launched its Steam Deck handheld console, which runs on a Linux-based SteamOS. This is problematic for video games that are not compatible with Linux, but Valve used a work-around involving a {{Wplink|compatibility layer}} called {{Wplink|Proton (software)|Proton}} to allow the Steam Deck to run [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] games. Users hoped this meant being able to play ''Fortnite'' on Steam (which is a competing platform to Epic Games Store), however CEO Tim Sweeney stated in response to a tweet that the game would not be made compatible with Linux nor Proton, citing a lack of confidence at being able to reliably enforce its [[Easy Anti-Cheat]] software:<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Ryan |title=Epic confirms Fortnite won’t be playable on Steam Deck without Windows |url=https://www.trustedreviews.com/news/epic-confirms-fortnite-wont-be-playable-on-steam-deck-without-windows-4207850 |website=Trusted Reviews |date=8 Feb 2022 |access-date=25 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202074431/https://www.trustedreviews.com/news/epic-confirms-fortnite-wont-be-playable-on-steam-deck-without-windows-4207850 |archive-date=2 Feb 2023}}</ref> | In February 2022, [[Valve]] launched its Steam Deck handheld console, which runs on a Linux-based SteamOS. This is problematic for video games that are not compatible with Linux, but Valve used a work-around involving a {{Wplink|compatibility layer}} called {{Wplink|Proton (software)|Proton}} to allow the Steam Deck to run [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] games. Users hoped this meant being able to play ''Fortnite'' on Steam (which is a competing platform to Epic Games Store), however CEO Tim Sweeney stated in response to a tweet that the game would not be made compatible with Linux nor Proton, citing a lack of confidence at being able to reliably enforce its [[Easy Anti-Cheat]] software:<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Ryan |title=Epic confirms Fortnite won’t be playable on Steam Deck without Windows |url=https://www.trustedreviews.com/news/epic-confirms-fortnite-wont-be-playable-on-steam-deck-without-windows-4207850 |website=Trusted Reviews |date=8 Feb 2022 |access-date=25 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202074431/https://www.trustedreviews.com/news/epic-confirms-fortnite-wont-be-playable-on-steam-deck-without-windows-4207850 |archive-date=2 Feb 2023}}</ref> | ||
<blockquote>Fortnite no, but there's a big effort underway to maximize Easy Anti Cheat compatibility with Steam Deck.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sweeney |first=Tim |title=Tim Sweeney on X |url=https:// | <blockquote>Fortnite no, but there's a big effort underway to maximize Easy Anti Cheat compatibility with Steam Deck.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sweeney |first=Tim |date=6 Feb 2022 |title=Tim Sweeney on X |url=https://nitter.catsarch.com/TimSweeneyEpic/status/1490519194915459072 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260324201027/https://nitter.catsarch.com/TimSweeneyEpic/status/1490519194915459072 |archive-date=24 Mar 2026 |access-date=25 Feb 2026 |website=[[X]]}}</ref><br /> | ||
[...] We don't have confidence that we'd be able to combat cheating at scale under a wide array of kernel configurations including custom ones.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sweeney |first=Tim |title=Tim Sweeney on X |url=https:// | [...] We don't have confidence that we'd be able to combat cheating at scale under a wide array of kernel configurations including custom ones.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sweeney |first=Tim |date=6 Feb 2022 |title=Tim Sweeney on X |url=https://nitter.catsarch.com/TimSweeneyEpic/status/1490565925648715781 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260324201046/https://nitter.catsarch.com/TimSweeneyEpic/status/1490565925648715781 |archive-date=24 Mar 2026 |access-date=25 Feb 2026 |website=[[X]]}}</ref></blockquote> | ||
===Removal of titles from storefront (''2022'')=== | ===Removal of titles from storefront (''2022'')=== | ||
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On 19 December 2022, the [[Federal Trade Commission]] (FTC) announced that it secured agreements that require Epic Games, Inc. to pay a total of $520 million for violating the {{Wplink|Children's Online Privacy Protection Act}} (COPPA) and using [[dark pattern]]s to trick players into making purchases.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Fortnite Video Game Maker Epic Games to Pay More Than Half a Billion Dollars over FTC Allegations of Privacy Violations and Unwanted Charges |url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2022/12/fortnite-video-game-maker-epic-games-pay-more-half-billion-dollars-over-ftc-allegations |website=[[FTC]] |date=19 Dec 2022 |access-date=25 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260218112319/https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2022/12/fortnite-video-game-maker-epic-games-pay-more-half-billion-dollars-over-ftc-allegations |archive-date=18 Feb 2026}}</ref> | On 19 December 2022, the [[Federal Trade Commission]] (FTC) announced that it secured agreements that require Epic Games, Inc. to pay a total of $520 million for violating the {{Wplink|Children's Online Privacy Protection Act}} (COPPA) and using [[dark pattern]]s to trick players into making purchases.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Fortnite Video Game Maker Epic Games to Pay More Than Half a Billion Dollars over FTC Allegations of Privacy Violations and Unwanted Charges |url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2022/12/fortnite-video-game-maker-epic-games-pay-more-half-billion-dollars-over-ftc-allegations |website=[[FTC]] |date=19 Dec 2022 |access-date=25 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260218112319/https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2022/12/fortnite-video-game-maker-epic-games-pay-more-half-billion-dollars-over-ftc-allegations |archive-date=18 Feb 2026}}</ref> | ||
===Account requirement for Rocket League ( | ===Account requirement for Rocket League (2020)=== | ||
[[File:Psyonixcorey.png|alt=Post by Psyonix_Corey|thumb|Post by Psyonix_Corey]] | |||
{{Main|Epic Games forced third party account creation in Rocket League}} | {{Main|Epic Games forced third party account creation in Rocket League}} | ||
[[File:Rocketleaguelogin.jpg|alt=Login screen upon starting the game|thumb|Login screen upon starting the game]] | |||
Following the v.1.81 patch in September 2020, users were required to create an account with Epic in order to Rocket League. This change was not mentioned in the patch notes, but there had been speculation about whether it was going to happen.A user called "Psyonix_Corey" also posted about it being rolled out, before the actual patch.<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 Sep 2020 |title=Rocket League Patch Notes: September Update |url=https://www.rocketleague.com/news/rocket-league-patch-notes-september-update |url-status=live |website=rocketleague.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308012132/https://www.rocketleague.com/news/rocket-league-patch-notes-september-update/ |archive-date=8 Mar 2023 |access-date=25 Jun 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=21 Aug 2020 |title=Rocket League will require Epic Account on Steam |author=dex3108 |url=https://www.resetera.com/threads/rocket-league-will-require-epic-account-on-steam.272424/ |url-status=live |website=resetera.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220802041419/https://www.resetera.com/threads/rocket-league-will-require-epic-account-on-steam.272424/ |archive-date=2 Aug 2022 |access-date=25 Jun 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Rocket League now requires an Epic account to play, even through Steam |date=16 Sep 2020 |author=u/GameStunts |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/pcgaming/comments/iu1a6w/rocket_league_now_requires_an_epic_account_to/ |url-status=live |website=reddit.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250320104030/https://www.reddit.com/r/pcgaming/comments/iu1a6w/rocket_league_now_requires_an_epic_account_to/ |archive-date=20 Mar 2025}}</ref> | |||
Following the v2.48 patch on 29 January 2025, Rocket League players on [[Steam]] were met with an error upon startup of the game, with the user being required to create an Epic Games account (see [[Forced account]]) before being able to access the game. | Following the v2.48 patch on 29 January 2025, Rocket League players on [[Steam]] were met with an error upon startup of the game, with the user being required to create an Epic Games account (see [[Forced account]]) before being able to access the game.<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 Jan 2025 |title=Rocket League Patch Notes v2.48 |url=https://steamcommunity.com/app/252950/eventcomments/600768964570648423?l=thai&snr=2_groupannouncements_detail_&ctp=5 |url-status=live |website=steamcommunity.com |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/Lclob |archive-date=25 Jun 2026}}</ref> | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||