Epic has been working on a major redesign of its launcher, with the company previously promising significant performance improvements. The new version is expected to launch much faster, while the storefront itself will also receive features such as personalized recommendations, easier access to game categories, and patch notes directly on store pages.

On paper, these changes should make the Epic Games Store more useful and easier to navigate. However, Emmanuel Rosier, director of market intelligence at Newzoo, believes Epic has a much bigger problem than the quality of its launcher. On the flip side, it hasn’t taken Epic Games too long to respond to the comments, pointing to data that demonstrates growth.

Can Epic Games really compete with Steam?

Speaking to PC Gamer about the store’s position against Steam, Rosier said he does not really see how Epic can turn things around because Steam has become the default destination for PC gaming.

“I don’t really see how they can turn that around, because Steam has become so inevitable. The Epic Games Store, they get players by giving free games, but people just go, they log in, they get the free games, they don’t even play them. You know, it’s almost like collecting games rather than actually playing them.”

Emmanuel Rosier, director of market intelligence at Newzoo, via PC Gamer

It’s important to note that Newzoo itself posted a disclaimer regarding Rosier’s remarks. “Remarks about the Epic Games Store published in a recent PC Gamer interview were not supported by Newzoo data or analysis and did not take into account relevant public evidence. These remarks should not be treated as a Newzoo market assessment,” it says, distancing itself. In response to the comments, Epic Games Store VP and GM Martin Keely also responded with a statement, seen below.

“The data tells a very different story. In 2025, players spent a record 2.78 billion hours playing third-party games on the Epic Games Store and player spending on third-party PC games grew 57% to an all-time record $400 million. With the improved Launcher that’s coming this year, that momentum is only going to accelerate.”

Epic Games Store Vice President and General Manager, Martin Keely

Either way, Rosier also believes Epic has spread itself too thin by trying to compete with several major companies and platforms at the same time. Beyond Steam, Epic has taken on Apple and Google over mobile app distribution and has spent heavily on other areas of its business.

The analyst is much more positive about Fortnite, which he believes is a stronger area for Epic to focus on. The game has increasingly positioned itself as more than a traditional battle royale, with collaborations, events, collectibles, and content from other gaming franchises.

When it comes to the Epic Games Store itself, Rosier remains doubtful. Even with a major technical overhaul and a cleaner storefront on the way, he believes the gap between Epic and Steam has become too large to overcome.

Are free game giveaways enough?

One of Epic’s biggest strategies has been its regular free game giveaways. The company has handed out hundreds of titles over the years, attracting a large number of users to its storefront. According to Rosier, though, many people simply collect these games without actually playing them. This creates a large user base, but not necessarily one that regularly uses the store for purchases or gaming.

That’s especially important because PC players generally prefer keeping their libraries together. Many gamers already have years of purchases, achievements, saves, friends, and other content tied to Steam, making it difficult for another storefront to convince them to move.

About the Author

Abdul Haddi

Abdul is a tech writer and Editor for PC Guide, specializing in all things tech, gaming, and hardware.