Epic Games has unveiled the “Epic First Run” program, a new opt-in exclusivity initiative for third-party developers on the Epic Games Store.
Under this program, participating developers can potentially retain 100% of their net revenue from user spending on eligible products for the first six months after launch. After this period, the revenue split reverts to Epic’s standard 88%/12% model.
(Photo: Epic Games)
Epic First Run
The Epic First Run program aims to leverage the Epic Games Store’s substantial user base of over 230 million players and 68 million monthly active users.
Products enrolled in the program will receive special visibility through exclusive badging, homepage placements, and dedicated collections on the store.
They will also be featured in relevant promotional campaigns, sales, events, and editorial content. This exposure is designed to continue throughout the product’s Epic First Run.
Developers, regardless of their scale, can tap into this opportunity to access the Epic Games Store’s global audience right from launch. However, to maximize the effectiveness of the program, developers need to actively promote their products within their target audience.
Epic encourages developers to explore marketing tips provided in their Developer Resources Documentation for optimal results.
The Epic First Run program is open to developers and publishers registered on the Epic Games Store, featuring eligible new releases scheduled to launch on or after October 16, 2023.
It grants a unique chance for developers to take advantage of a higher revenue share during the critical initial period of a product’s release.
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Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible, games or apps must be new releases that have not been previously available on other third-party PC stores or subscription services. Products with existing exclusivity agreements with the Epic Games Store are excluded from the program.
The Epic First Run program offers developers a way to harness the Epic Games Store’s audience while having the flexibility to release products simultaneously on their own stores or launchers.
This includes options like direct sales, Epic digital redemption codes, or integration with keyless redemption programs. However, keyless distribution may require technical implementation on the developer’s side.
After the six-month exclusivity period, developers are free to release their products on other third-party stores while continuing to benefit from Epic’s standard revenue share model.
Epic Games plans to open registration for the Epic First Run program in October 2023 through the self-publishing flow in the Epic Developer portal. For developers seeking more information or having questions, the Epic Games Store Developer Community serves as a platform to connect with Epic staff and other developers on this topic and more.
The program aligns with Epic Games’ ongoing efforts to provide developers with tools and opportunities to successfully bring their games to the Epic Games Store.
The self-service publishing tools introduced earlier this year streamline the onboarding and release process, enabling developers to manage their games directly through the Epic Developer Portal, according to the company.
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