“Epic Games Store Aims for Significant PC Market Share, Not to Dethrone Steam”

Steve Allison, vice president and general manager of the Epic Games Store, emphasizes that his goal isn’t to “overthrow Steam.” Instead, he envisions a future where Epic’s platform becomes essential for developers, ensuring they “have to be here” due to a strong user base.

In a recent discussion, Allison shared insights ahead of the 2025 year-in-review report for the Epic Games Store. The report highlights a 57% increase in spending on third-party PC games, although it also notes a 14% drop in total gameplay hours and a 1% decrease in monthly active users (with a 2% decline in daily users). A staggering 662 million free games were claimed, and there are plans for infrastructure improvements aimed at enhancing load times and introducing new features.

When asked if the ultimate aim of the Epic Games Store is to surpass Steam or align more with the vision of coexisting in a sustainable niche, Allison leans towards the latter. “I agree with Michał [Kiciński] on that,” he states. “Our perspective is similar. Since launching the store in 2018, we’ve always aimed to expand into mobile. While we faced delays, our focus is on creating a multiplatform ecosystem that prioritizes games across PC and mobile. I’m thrilled we’re finally making strides in that direction, but my goal on PC isn’t to topple Steam.”

Reflecting on the growth since 2018, Allison notes that while Steam had around 67 million monthly users back then, Epic has now reached approximately 67 to 68 million, while Steam has grown to about 140 million. He believes that the competition has significantly boosted the overall growth of PC gaming, which he and Epic CEO Tim Sweeney view positively.

The Epic Games App launched on iOS in December and Android in January, providing a dedicated mobile companion for the store. In the past year, titles like Wuthering Waves, Genshin Impact, and Honkai: Star Rail have become key players in the store’s third-party offerings, with all three ranking among the top five “Mythic” games in the yearly review. Allison is eager to expand in the mobile sector while maintaining a strong presence on PC.

“Our goal is to capture enough market share on PC that developers feel they must be here,” he explains. “From my perspective, that means achieving a predictable market share of 25 to 30% of sales or more. If we succeed, we could generate billions in revenue from third-party games, with Steam’s share depending on how much collaboration occurs.”

Allison points out that 60% of Epic’s players are also using Steam. While many users come to claim free games, they also make purchases due to incentives like Epic Rewards and competitive pricing. The aim is to provide players with compelling reasons to choose Epic, as they typically buy only 1.2 to 1.4 games per year. For these players, the decision often comes down to where to buy rather than if they will buy. Therefore, ensuring that players have every incentive to purchase on Epic is crucial, including features like Fortnite crossovers.

As part of the yearly report, Epic announced exclusive Fortnite cosmetic deals tied to several upcoming games from various developers. Purchasing specific titles through Epic will grant players unique cosmetics in Fortnite. “Developers have been asking us to leverage Fortnite,” Allison notes, highlighting this as a fresh approach to promote the Epic Games Store.

When discussing how Epic aims to differentiate itself from Steam, Allison mentions the more favorable revenue split (88/12 compared to Steam’s 70/30). “We want to demonstrate the connected, multiplatform ecosystem we’re building,” he says. “Tim believes in the power of networking effects, and by bringing players together across different ecosystems and games, we aim to create a fundamentally different experience.”

As Epic begins to roll out player-facing features, Allison expresses excitement about evolving the social framework and introducing innovative functionalities. He acknowledges that legacy platforms often struggle to implement significant changes, making this opportunity particularly exciting.

While only 16 to 18% of users who claim free games on the Epic Games Store go on to make purchases, Allison believes that the cost-effectiveness of acquiring new users remains a strong advantage.