The Epic Games Store has introduced the Epic First Run program for third-party developers. The new program offers developers the choice of exclusivity for the first six months after their product’s launch, offering them 100% revenue share from user spending. Following this period, the revenue model reverts to Epic’s standard 88%/12% split, with 88% going to the developer, and 12% going to Epic.
The Epic Games Store currently has a global user base of over 230 million players, with 68 million monthly active users, making it a strong platform for developers to reach consumers. Participants in the program receive special badging, prime homepage placements, and dedicated collections. These products are prominently featured in store campaigns, including sales and editorial highlights.
The Epic First Run gives developers of any size the opportunity to access a wide global audience from their product’s launch. This program is open to developers and publishers with registered Epic Games developer accounts, planning to release eligible products on or after October 16, 2023.
Eligible products include new release games or apps that haven’t been introduced on other third-party PC stores or subscription services. Products with an existing exclusivity deal with the Epic Games Store are ineligible.
Program registration will occur through the self-publishing process within the Epic Developer portal starting October 2023. For game distribution, Epic Games Store’s self-service tools facilitate registration, setup, testing, and distribution directly through the Epic Developer Portal.
