Epic Games LIVE on mobile, Xbox’s multi-platform $$$ GRAB, Nvidia AI creates UNCANNY NPCs – Games Growth with Upptic

In this episode of Games Growth with Upptic, Epic Games has launched its mobile game store on Android globally and iOS in the EU, Xbox is expanding its game distribution to competitor platforms like PlayStation, and NVIDIA unveiled new AI tools to enhance NPC interactions in games, promising more dynamic and immersive gameplay experiences.

Epic Games finally launches mobile game stores amidst challenges

Epic Games has officially launched its much-anticipated mobile game store on Android (globally) and iOS (in the European Union). The store, which features flagship titles like Fortnite, Rocket League Sideswipe, and the new Fall Guys for Mobile, marks a significant milestone for the company. However, the launch was not without its challenges, including a complicated installation process on iOS and substantial financial investments.

Upptic CGO Warren Woodward and Upptic Marketing Director Xander Agosta delved into the intricacies of the store’s launch. Xander humorously highlighted the cumbersome process of installing the Epic Store on iOS, describing it as a “15-step process” that seemed almost “maliciously bad.” Despite these hurdles, Epic’s persistence in bringing its mobile store to market is seen as a victory, albeit an expensive one.

Monopolistic hurdles

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has been vocal about the hurdles faced in the mobile gaming industry due to Apple’s policies. In a recent Q&A, Sweeney criticized Apple’s 30% fee on in-app purchases, arguing that it suppresses the overall value of the gaming ecosystem. He suggested that developers would lower their prices if there were free and open competition among app stores.

The launch of the Epic’s mobile game stores also included a significant strategic move: Epic announced it would remove its existing games, excluding Fortnite, from traditional app stores, pushing players towards alternate app stores like AltStore, AppToyer, and One Store. This bold move underscores Epic’s commitment to challenging the status quo, despite the financial costs.

According to reports, Epic has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on legal battles and estimates a billion-dollar loss in revenue since Fortnite was blocked from Apple’s App Store four years ago. These figures underscore the immense challenges faced by developers in navigating the current mobile gaming landscape.

Stifling fees for apps on alternative app stores

Epic’s Game Store General Manager, Steve Allison, shared that nearly all of the 150 top mobile developers he contacted expressed concerns about the financial viability of using alternate app stores, given Apple’s 50 euro cent per user per year core technology fee on apps that see over 1 million downloads per year. This fee, which applies to all apps that are downloaded on iOS outside of its official app store, along with other commissions and fees (such as Epic Games Store’s 12% fee), makes it prohibitively expensive for many developers to use alternative app stores.

As Epic continues to navigate these challenges, industry observers are keenly watching to see how the mobile gaming landscape will evolve, particularly in the face of growing regulatory scrutiny and developer dissatisfaction with the current app store duopoly.

Xbox Games: Expanding beyond its console

In other gaming news, Xbox is making waves with its strategy to bring its titles to competitor platforms, including PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. During Gamescom, Xbox Head Phil Spencer discussed the company’s evolving approach, which includes expanding the reach of their games beyond Xbox hardware.

Spencer’s comments suggest that Xbox is prioritizing software distribution over hardware exclusivity, recognizing that the potential revenue from broader game sales outweighs the benefits of platform exclusivity. This shift could signal a future where Xbox focuses more on game development and less on hardware, potentially hinting at the beginning of the end of Xbox’s traditional console cycle.

NVIDIA’s AI innovations revealed at Gamescom

At Gamescom, NVIDIA unveiled a suite of AI tools designed to enhance NPC interactions in games. These tools, including the Nemotron-4 4B Instruct Small Language Model, allow for more dynamic and personalized interactions with in-game characters, all processed locally on the player’s device.

This innovation opens up new possibilities for game design, particularly in RPGs, where NPC dialogue can be more immersive and less repetitive. As AI continues to integrate into gaming, these developments could significantly alter how players interact with games, offering more engaging and varied experiences.