Witchfire Lead: Steam’s Stronghold Over Epic Games Store Stems from Loyalty to Home Libraries

One game developer has shared insights on why Steam continues to reign as the leading PC storefront, even with notable competitors like the Epic Games Store in the mix.

Adrian Chmielarz, co-founder of Polish studio The Astronauts and creator of Witchfire, attributes part of Witchfire’s success to its initial run as a timed exclusive on the Epic Games Store. However, he also voiced some critiques during an interview. He highlighted the robust community features of Steam, which he believes foster a deeper emotional connection among users.

“There’s actually so much happening in that community hub for every single game, much more than I ever imagined,” he noted. “It’s no wonder that people get emotionally invested in Steam. They feel like, ‘Okay, my home is here, so my personal library is here.’ So when something is released exclusively on Epic that they want to play, it becomes a dilemma because they feel like they’re cheating on their home library by using another store.”

Indeed, the Epic Games Store lacks the social features that make Steam more than just a platform for purchasing and launching games. This is likely why the developers of the indie horror game Horses seemed to react more strongly to being banned from Steam than from the Epic Games Store.

“People aren’t really using EGS as their home; it’s not home to them,” Chmielarz explained. “I don’t know if it’s intentional, but they [EGS] don’t have written reviews or forums. There’s nothing to do there but buy. So that will always fall short compared to a store that offers an emotional connection and engagement.”

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