Steam vs. Epic
Steam vs. Epic
What's the issue with Steam and Epic? If you're looking for a game exclusive to Epic, the challenge lies in obtaining it through Steam.
Beyond the (overstated) issue of Epic being Chinese spyware, the service itself is quite lacking, and many people find it annoying to install another platform just to grow their collection.
Epic is largely controlled by Tencent and gathers a vast amount of information about users and their computers.
There is also the issue that it offers a straightforward way for the PLA to install malware onto your computer if your country has tensions with mainland China.
The situation is complicated, as people are already using Steam. It’s similar to how friends on Facebook and WeChat have formed agreements with major creators, news outlets, and other platforms you wish to follow, forcing them to stick to WeChat and preventing sharing of videos or posts with your friends on Facebook. Another recent problem involves Epic (owned by Tencent) taking over the company that developed Easy Anticheat. Since Epic collaborated with Valve to adapt their software for Linux as part of Valve’s Proton project—aiming to bring Windows games to Linux—they have reportedly redirected their engineers away from Valve’s initiative toward other projects.
I believe Steam provides better value for users, offering options such as:
Family Sharing (purchase once for all family members, with individual save files)
Steam Workshop (user-created mods)
Steam In-Home Streaming (download once, play on multiple PCs or use a remote PC to run and stream)
Big Picture Mode (console-style controls)
Strong support for controllers
VR leadership
Steam Box, Controller, and VR Headset
I also find the Epic Games store unappealing, though that’s just my preference. I recognize many prefer it.
Although Steam collects more from developers, they invest those resources into user features and even specialized hardware. The Epic Games store appears more like a platform for earning money, whereas Steam seems to prioritize consumer freedom.