[STEAM] “We’ve been talking to the folks at Microsoft”: Epic Games Is Making Attempts to Bring Its Storefront to Xbox Consoles Amid Valve’s $900M Lawsuit

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There may not be as many

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store enthusiasts as there are for Steam, but it isn’t stopping them from trying to bring their storefront to Xbox consoles. With rumors of the next Xbox being a Windows PC and console hybrid, Epic’s decision isn’t anything to be surprised about.

As the company quietly holds talks with

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about a potential storefront implementation in the future,

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, being accused of the use of “platform parity” rules. One thing’s clear: these developments indicate a growing shift in the industry, one where Epic Games is betting that the future of console and PC gaming could be more open and alike.

“We will be there,” Says Epic Games Store VP on Storefront Implementation

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Lots of talk

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is making the rounds on the internet, with Epic Games being the latest company to add to the conversation. Epic Games is quietly positioning itself for a potential storefront breakthrough on Xbox platforms, if the next Xbox console does end up being a Windows PC at its core and allows all PC storefronts to be implemented.

In a recent interview with

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, Epic Games Store VP and GM Steve Allison confirmed that there have been conversations about including their digital storefront in the next generation of Xbox consoles, if

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is willing to.

We’ve been talking about a bunch of these things. We’ve been talking to the folks at

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. If they do follow through with allowing Steam and the Epic Games Store on the next generation of Xbox console hardware, we will be there. I’m fairly certain that’ll require us to build an app that functions there.

Adding on to it, Allison expanded on potentially adding Steam’s Big Picture Mode or Xbox’s Full Screen Experience Mode equivalent for the Epic Games Store, and other opportunities that they’re investigating to have the storefront ready and optimized for TV sets and controllers.

I expect we’ll end up doing that. I can’t commit because we’re in the middle of these big projects. I’m a big, big fan. I’ve bought every version of the ROG Ally, including the new Xbox Ally. It’s awesome to be able to play both Steam and Epic Games Store games on one device. We do need to build for it, it probably won’t happen this year. Maybe next year.

For players, this will mean being able to browse and purchase games through Epic’s storefront seamlessly and directly on the next-generation Xbox hardware. With the upcoming Xbox architecture reportedly leaning towards a more console/PC hybrid, external stores like Steam and GOG will also be enabled on the platform.

Steve Allison Hints at an Epic Games Store Revamp Soon

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The entire storefront is getting a makeover! | Image Credit: Unreal Engine Epic Games Store isn’t the go-to digital storefront for many players, and Allison knows it. The store is riddled with problems and hardly matches the level of polish Steam has for it to be a direct competitor. However,

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, which will see the light of day in the coming months, as confirmed by Allison himself.

We’re ripping out the underlying architecture. We’re well aware of complaints, that the launcher can be slow to load, library taking up system resources — all these things will be profoundly improved when we ship this thing. It’s coming in May or June. I saw a demo last week, the difference is significant.

Additionally, Epic is also working on major community features, such as forums and text chats within its games as platforms to make it ready for the eventual implementation in the next generation of Xbox consoles. With these revamps, Epic Games Store has the potential to match Steam’s polish or even better, break out of its Fortnite-only storefront mold.

Are you looking forward to having PC storefronts on the next generation of Xbox console hardware? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below.

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