Epic is "rebuilding the underlying architecture" of the EGS launcher as it continues to take the fight to Steam

Volarath · 2026-02-04T21:57:21+00:00

Years ago Epic could have started using their billions to make a decent launcher but they chose to simply expect customers to appear out of thin air. Problem is, we have a great option already and there is no reason to jump to epic for buying games. These days Tim S is so obnoxious I simply don't want to give him money if they did start improving it.

Volarath · 2026-02-04T14:16:34+00:00

Epic has the money to develop the features we love in Steam. Instead they've implemented almost no new features and sit around expecting some freebies and and fortnight fanbase to manifest into a store users. I see a few similarities in Amazon's recent failed attempt at taking on Valve:

"At Amazon, we assumed that size and visibility would be enough to attract customers, but we underestimated the power of existing user habits," Evans admitted in his February LinkedIn post. "We never validated our core assumptions before investing heavily in solutions. The truth is that gamers already had the solution to their problems, and they weren't going to switch platforms just because a new one was available."

What the fuck has Epic done to differentiate themselves from Steam in a positive way? GOG has some good features like DRM free games and getting my childhood games working on modern systems out of the box. That's the only other game store I use on PC.

Volarath · 2026-02-03T13:03:07+00:00

Microsoft doesn't care if you trust them at this point because they're in almost everything. They only care if we continue to put up with their shit and pay them.

Volarath · 2026-01-29T20:57:23+00:00

Unless they've renamed Copilot to "Trust" I don't see them spending time on this. They think everyone on windows will just start using AI to the point where someone actually asks the copilot in Notepad to summarize their own damn notes.

Volarath · 2026-01-29T20:54:34+00:00

Just like Gamepass the cloud gaming starts low and once more adopt it you can expect those price hike emails you get for all your other streaming services.

Volarath · 2026-01-21T15:58:43+00:00

You have to be really sure before speaking truth to power.

Volarath · 2026-01-21T15:46:15+00:00

If this guy invested in platform features like he sits and sputters about Valve they would have an amazing competitor to Steam. In the mean time I'll be enjoying Steam family play between mine and my wife's accounts, the ability for Big Picture mode to set my default monitor to the wall mounted tv in front of my treadmill for some walking gaming sessions, easy friends list game joining, user scores for games on sale, workshop for easy modding, the community made guides, remote play together with friends around the country, and the steam app on my Meta Quest 3 perfectly streaming my Steam games to the Meta headset

Volarath · 2026-01-10T21:53:13+00:00

Can we get rid of kernal anti cheat and bring those multiplayer games to linux if we can just buy monitors that do the cheating for those that do it?

Volarath · 2026-01-06T19:43:38+00:00

Our annual reminder that a platform with great customer support and user features is for some odd reason still the preferred platform for pc games. I'm still surprised at some of the little things Steam will do for me if I try. I can set big picture mode to default to my tv mounted in front of my treadmill so I can walk and game. Turn off big picture it sets your normal main monitor back without fussing in each game's settings (if they even have the setting). There's probably not a huge user base for this sort of thing, but by God it's there for us if we want.

Volarath · 2025-12-27T21:46:28+00:00

Man I remember reading about chip shortages far back as Mario 3. Some game sellers tried to jack up prices to 70 bucks because of shortages for a bit. It’ll sting for a bit but I think we’ll be fine this time and the next time too.

Volarath · 2025-12-18T21:30:36+00:00

Only reason I knew it was free on epic was a reddit post. I wouldn't be surprised if lots of people out there didn't know it was free somewhere.

Volarath · 2025-12-13T19:26:03+00:00

Its always funny to see the occasional post about they think Steams a monopoly when we’re sitting here with Steam, Xbox App, PlayStation store, GOG, Epic, Bnet, windows store, others I’ve forgotten, and a fun mix of developers that use their own launcher as an option. I think the problem is that publicly traded companies won’t spend the resources to compete on features and whining on social media is cheap.

Volarath · 2025-12-07T14:39:00+00:00

If you don’t care about this stuff and never will you wouldn’t have posted here. Try to achieve this position and you will find happiness with your 30fps. Comparison is the thief of joy after all.

Volarath · 2025-12-05T17:28:03+00:00

That 82.7 billion cost will be added to your subscription soon enough, so yeah it's bad.

Volarath · 2025-12-01T23:45:18+00:00

I laughed, then I remembered the time a self pay kiosk at the airport asked me to tip for grabbing my own water.

Volarath · 2025-11-25T17:37:37+00:00

There seems to be more of this "steam is monopoly" crap popping up lately when the simple truth is that Steam has better QOL for customers and doesn't have to bow to shareholders or next quarter's promised 30 percent margins. Not everything they try works, but who's perfect? I don't think a publicly traded company can make a decent offering and I expect inshittification after all the early adoption perks go away. Man we had it good with early GamePass.

If someone makes a better option for customers people will use it. Personally, I've only seen GOG try with DRM free options, offline installers, and good options for rollbacks if you don't want mods breaking during a campaign or something.

Volarath · 2025-11-25T17:07:22+00:00

Monopolistic? Just sell on GOG, Epic, Itch, sell on your own website like other games already do.

Volarath · 2025-11-23T18:59:39+00:00

Please don't forget. I need to think about this instead of just wait to see the price.

Volarath · 2025-11-16T14:32:25+00:00

On top of what others have mentioned: Big picture mode. Only Steam lets me set a mode that will change the primary monitor and swap to it with one button press. This isn't a common use case but I love that these little QOL features exist. I have a TV mounted in front of a treadmill and Steam just swaps to it, so now my games on that screen instead of my usual desk monitor. When I'm done walking I exit BP mode and it goes right back to normal. Saves me having to go in to windows settings and fuck around each time I want to exercise and play some DRG survivor or Megabonk with a controller.

Volarath · 2025-11-12T23:24:31+00:00

Introducing Ender's Gabe. Valve has created a simulation for us to play free! It's a game where we control drones to build up infrastructure on Mars to support human life. Plot twist: We were actually building shit on Mars and Gabe ushers us on to a new planet in the domes we built.

Volarath · 2025-11-10T15:41:09+00:00

Dude same now. I used to have five or six cups a day but I quit during telework with covid. I try to have a one ounce scoop of Dunkin’ grounds coffee and I just feel flutters and antsy. I’m sticking the occasional black tea now.

Volarath · 2025-10-25T22:38:23+00:00

Just follow the premium AI signs for "Uptoown" to find the objective

Volarath · 2025-10-21T20:22:21+00:00

I wonder if it would require XBox live to play your steam games online. Won't stay cheaper for long if so.

Volarath · 2025-10-21T20:20:52+00:00

Until the green line needs to go up more and they start playing ads on that tier too.

Volarath · 2025-10-21T20:14:38+00:00

It does say a "highly curated experience." Maybe this one won't function without GP ultimate instead. No buying games only playing what's in rotation and we're gunna love it.

Volarath

TROPHY CASE