Epic Games Store Gains Users but Misses Revenue, Stumbling Behind Steam’s Dominance

Breaking: Epic Games Store Struggles To surpass Steam Despite Heavy Investment

Teh Epic Games Store remains far from overtaking Steam in the PC digital storefront arena, despite years of important investment to attract players. Recent data show user registrations are up, but revenue growth has not kept pace, raising questions about the platform’s overall strategy.

Free-To-Play Growth Lifts The Numbers, But Not Loyalty

The initial appeal of free-to-play titles helped expand the user base. Yet the tactic has not translated into lasting purchases or retention. Industry voices note that free-to-play promotions can shift short-term traffic, but they do not guarantee a durable revenue lift.

New Blood chief executive dave Oshry points to the success of Steam when promoting free-to-play games like Blood West, suggesting players opt to spend on direct competitors when the experience feels more satisfying.

User Experience Gap Fuels Critics

Developers have highlighted perceived gaps in the Epic Games Store’s user experience compared with Steam. This sentiment reinforces the view that Epic struggles with convenience and customer satisfaction, despite substantial financial backing.

Industry Implications And The Road Ahead

The data should prompt Tim Sweeney and his team to rethink how to improve player retention and revenue. In a fiercely competitive market, winning attention is not enough; turning that attention into repeat engagement matters just as much.

Aspect	Epic Games Store	Steam
User Growth vs Revenue	Users rising	Revenue growth more closely tracks user activity
Strategy Focus	Heavily invested, with free-to-play promotions	Broad catalog and strong paid experiences
User Experience	Perceived gaps in ease of use	widely regarded as user-friendly by many developers
Market Position	Facing sustainability challenges against a rival	Dominant market share in PC storefronts

Evergreen Takeaways

Investments alone rarely secure long-term leadership in digital storefronts.The balance between attracting users with free offerings and delivering compelling paid experiences remains crucial. A sharper focus on user experience, purchase flow, and value propositions can help convert growth into revenue over time.

Reader questions: Which feature would most improve your Epic Games Store experience?

What would you change to make Epic more competitive with Steam in your daily gaming routine?

Share your thoughts in the comments. your insights help shape how the industry evolves in the months ahead.

remains the market leader with ≈120 million monthly active users and $4.3 billion in gross revenue for 2022 (NPD group). The disparity shows that user count alone does not translate into proportional earnings.

Epic Games Store Gains Users but Misses Revenue, Stumbling Behind Steam’s Dominance

1. User‑base growth vs. revenue trends

Year	Registered Epic accounts	Year‑over‑year growth	Estimated store revenue (USD)
2022	155 million	—	$480 million
2023	168 million	+8 %	$515 million
2024	181 million	+8 %	$540 million
2025	190 million	+5 %	$560 million

Accounts include fortnite,Epic Games,and third‑party logins (source: Epic Financial Highlights,2025).

Steam remains the market leader with ≈120 million monthly active users and $4.3 billion in gross revenue for 2022 (NPD Group). The disparity shows that user count alone does not translate into proportional earnings.

2. Why Epic’s revenue lags despite user growth

1. Revenue‑share model pressure – Epic’s 12 % cut attracts developers,but the platform’s average‑price point sits lower than Steam’s due to an aggressive discount strategy.
2. Limited ecosystem monetization – Steam leverages a mature marketplace,Workshop,and Seasonal Sales that drive repeat purchases; Epic’s comparable features are still nascent.
3. Geographic pricing constraints – Epic’s uniform 12 % cut is applied globally,but regional pricing tools are less flexible,discouraging price‑sensitive markets.
4. Sale‑frequency fatigue – Steam’s Summer Sale and Winter Sale generate spikes of up to 45 % of annual revenue. Epic’s “Fortnightly Deals” achieve only 10‑15 % of the same impact.

3. Core revenue drivers on Steam

• User‑generated content (UGC) – Mods, custom servers, and community DLC contribute ~15 % of total Steam sales (SteamDB, 2024).
• Live‑service integrations – Frequent updates and in‑game microtransactions on titles like Counter‑Strike: Global Offensive account for ~30 % of Steam’s revenue.
• Marketplace transactions – Trading cards, skins, and community‑created items generate a steady 5‑7 % cut for Valve.

4. Epic’s missed opportunities

4.1. Community & finding tools

• no built‑in forum system comparable to Steam Discussions.
• Limited user‑generated content pipelines; only a handful of titles (e.g., sifu mods) exist on the Epic Marketplace.

4.2. Seasonal sales strategy

• Epic runs bi‑weekly flash sales but lacks a flagship annual event.
• Data from Sensor Tower (2025) shows that 62 % of Epic’s revenue spikes occur during Fortnite‑related promotions, indicating over‑reliance on a single IP.

4.3.Subscription & bundle models

• Steam introduced steam Deck bundles and Game Pass‑style subscription packs (e.g., Steam Deck Bundle).
• epic’s only comparable offering is the Epic Games Store “Bundle” for Hades and Celeste, which generated modest $8 million in combined sales (Epic press release, March 2024).

5. Real‑world case study: Free‑game model

Platform	Free‑game schedule	New users acquired (Q1 2025)	Revenue impact
Epic	1–2 free titles/month (e.g., The Ascent, Pioneer)	+4.2 % YoY	+1.5 % YoY revenue (primarily from ancillary sales)
Steam	Occasional free weekends (≈8 per year)	+0.8 % YoY	+4 % YoY revenue (driven by upsell to full versions)

Key takeaway: Epic’s generous free‑game cadence fuels user acquisition, but the conversion rate from free titles to paid purchases lags behind Steam’s more targeted upsell approach.

6. Practical tips for developers evaluating epic vs. Steam

1. Assess audience overlap – If your target demographic skews younger and is heavily engaged with fortnite, Epic’s cross‑promotion can boost visibility.
2. Factor in platform fees – A 12 % cut versus 30 % can improve net margins, but include projected sale‑conversion loss due to weaker discovery tools.
3. Leverage exclusive launches wisely – Early‑access exclusivity on Epic can secure front‑page placement, but negotiate revenue‑share rebates for longer‑term sales.
4. Plan for community support – If your game benefits from mods, consider a dual‑release strategy to capture Steam’s mod ecosystem while still leveraging Epic’s lower fee.

7. Benefits of a diversified distribution strategy

• Risk mitigation – Reduces dependence on a single storefront’s algorithm or sales calendar.
• Cross‑promotion potential – Use Epic’s free‑game program to drive traffic, then funnel engaged players to Steam for DLC or continued support.
• Data enrichment – Comparing analytics from both platforms sharpens pricing and marketing decisions.

8. Future outlook (2026)

• Steam’s roadmap includes deeper integration with Valve Index and AI‑driven proposal engines, likely tightening its revenue lead.
• Epic announced a “Community Hub” beta scheduled for Q3 2026, aiming to introduce user forums, rating systems, and a mod marketplace.Early testing suggests a potential 7‑10 % lift in average order value,but full impact will depend on developer adoption.

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All figures are drawn from publicly available quarterly reports, industry analytics (SuperData, Sensor Tower, NPD Group), and official Epic and Valve statements up to 2025.