Epic Games - Store announced

I like that they are releasing subnautical for free dec 14; but hate that they are own by the china. This almost certainly means they will be sharing customer data with Chinese govt.

Yikes, I didn't have any clue about their connections with the Chinese government. Perhaps they'll explain more about that before they launch the actual service, and explain exactly what that means for all would be consumers.

Andrew23 said:

I dream about open source software client standard that different digital distributors share or are compatible with. Maybe in distant future…

Click to expand...

I don't actually think that's too far-fetched. For example, several of the biggest companies have formed the Alliance for Open Media, for their mutual benefit, and to escape the stranglehold of the MPEG group. Once AV1 is adopted, I think MPEG will be relegated to the margins within a few years.

I think it's quite feasible to create a similar alliance for game distribution technology, that creates standards to make things transferable and interoperable across platforms.

Carnifex said:

Yikes, I didn't have any clue about their connections with the Chinese government. Perhaps they'll explain more about that before they launch the actual service, and explain exactly what that means for all would be consumers.

Click to expand...

There is no direct connection to Chinese government but they are part owned by a Chinese company. So if the Chinese government want, they can get hold of your data but thats no different to any other government…

Put it another way, the Chinese government has infiltrated the west in deep way so if they want some of your info, they are going to get it regardless of you sing up to Epic store or not! Its too late for that… If I were you stop worrying about this and save couple of pennies since they are watching you anyway!

/wave at MSS

Or they keep the same price and their margin goes up. Which one you think they would use?

The China paranoia really makes no sense. It's quite understandable to believe that China is a communist state supported by "leftists"… if you've been living in a vault since about 1963.

Chinese companies are well and truly interwoven with western economies, and the US is highly dependent on them. America consumes more than it produces and spends beyond its means, and China produces too much and holds too much money. As someone once said, they're like two one-legged men tied together, trying to stay upright on a treadmill. Worrying about using a Chinese company is pretty redundant at this stage.

China paranoia makes no sense right?

Lets try asking the non-Chinese citizens forced in re-education camps, the constant state surveillance on it's population, tech thievery, and it's military ambitions on it's neighbors.

Couchpotato said:

China paranoia makes no sense right?

Lets try asking the non-Chinese citizens forced in re-education camps, the constant state surveillance on it's population, tech thievery, and it's military ambitions on it's neighbors.

Click to expand...

It make sense but my point was its too late for that as they are already here well and good

lostforever said:

It make sense but my point was its too late for that as they are already here well and good

Click to expand...

Yep they control corporations in almost every country now.

They quietly invested in Africa and now have there eyes on South America.

Seems they have very deep pockets.

Ripper said:

The China paranoia really makes no sense. It's quite understandable to believe that China is a communist state supported by "leftists"… if you've been living in a vault since about 1963.

Chinese companies are well and truly interwoven with western economies, and the US is highly dependent on them. America consumes more than it produces and spends beyond its means, and China produces too much and holds too much money. As someone once said, they're like two one-legged men tied together, trying to stay upright on a treadmill. Worrying about using a Chinese company is pretty redundant at this stage.

Click to expand...

Not when this is entertainment goods, no thank you. Their tastes are not ours and what they expect in a game is way different than what we do expect. Not superior, not inferior, different.

The Diablo Immortal polemic was actually for a phone game intended at first for the Chinese market, it was too be full of loot boxes, paying upgrades and really high in Pay to Win because apparently that is what works well over there.
Kudos for them, but no thank you.

And again, their artistic and most importantly moral values/threshold are way different of ours.
Damn, those moral and quality values are already way different between Europe and US, as can be seen with the outrages in US with games like The Witcher 3, and its nudity and the polemic with Kingdom Come Deliverance because Bohemia XV Century population was not reflecting the diversity of the American population in the XXI Century.

China ethics will add a host of new elements to avoid in every fields even in the intrigues of the games: Don't do games set in a dystopia where population is watched and so on and so on.

Couchpotato said:

China paranoia makes no sense right?

Lets try asking the non-Chinese citizens forced in re-education camps, the constant state surveillance on it's population, tech thievery, and it's military ambitions on it's neighbors.

Click to expand...

Phew, I thought you were talking about US government for a second...

Couchpotato said:

China paranoia makes no sense right?

Lets try asking the non-Chinese citizens forced in re-education camps, the constant state surveillance on it's population, tech thievery, and it's military ambitions on it's neighbors.

Click to expand...

Yep, same as asking the victims of other superpowers' violations of human rights. There are at least two more.

Funny but hey how about this.

Link - https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/08/22/chinas-mass-internment-camps-have-no-clear-end-in-sight/

For international audiences, the Chinese state has denied the existence of what have come to be known as “re-education camps,” but local officials continue to build new compounds, and openly call for construction contracts online, providing details on everything from camp sizes (up to 883,000 square feet) to the types of materials (“bomb-proof surfaces”) required. A few internees have been released for one reason or another and shared their stories of camp life with reporters, describing conditions ranging from uncomfortable to literally torturous.

Click to expand...

Feel free to bow to your Chinese overlords eventually.

As a bonus here is the report of the various violations.

Link -https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/china-and-tibet

FYI Subnautica will be free on the epic store from December 14 through 27.

I assume it means you keep it forever you just have to attach it to your account during that time.

Right now the store is very sparse (obviously), just one page. But I hope it gets big quick and Epic and Steam have price wars. As annoying as another game client is the competition should be a good thing for us.

Also Journey (the PS game) is coming there soon. A nice surprise since I've wanted to play it but didn't think it would ever come to PC.

If any of this was already said here, sorry. I'm lazy.

Couchpotato said:

China paranoia makes no sense right?

Lets try asking the non-Chinese citizens forced in re-education camps, the constant state surveillance on it's population, tech thievery, and it's military ambitions on it's neighbors.

Click to expand...

With that template, the US are killing people with fear.

Couchpotato said:

Seems they have very deep pockets.

Click to expand...

Less deep than the US since they must work to acquire USD. The US only have to emit USD.

Couchpotato said:

Funny but hey how about this.

Link - https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/08/22/chinas-mass-internment-camps-have-no-clear-end-in-sight/Feel free to bow to your Chinese overlords eventually.

As a bonus here is the report of the various violations.

Link -https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/china-and-tibet

Click to expand...

That is muslim populations. What next, chinese treatment of black people in Africa.

ChatMiauleur said:

Not when this is entertainment goods, no thank you. Their tastes are not ours and what they expect in a game is way different than what we do expect. Not superior, not inferior, different.

The Diablo Immortal polemic was actually for a phone game intended at first for the Chinese market, it was too be full of loot boxes, paying upgrades and really high in Pay to Win because apparently that is what works well over there.
Kudos for them, but no thank you.

And again, their artistic and most importantly moral values/threshold are way different of ours.
Damn, those moral and quality values are already way different between Europe and US, as can be seen with the outrages in US with games like The Witcher 3, and its nudity and the polemic with Kingdom Come Deliverance because Bohemia XV Century population was not reflecting the diversity of the American population in the XXI Century.

China ethics will add a host of new elements to avoid in every fields even in the intrigues of the games: Don't do games set in a dystopia where population is watched and so on and so on.

Click to expand...

It is about distribution.

I'm not saying China is fine and dandy. I'm saying we should be clear about what it is and what it isn't. China today is not what a communist state looks like - it's what an authoritarian capitalist state looks like, and I don't think you'll find many lefties carrying a torch for it. I certainly wouldn't want to live in it, and I hope we don't end up living under Chinese hegemony.

But the degree to which we're already in bed with China economically is inarguable. The US has been acquiescent in a great deal of China's shenanigans for several administrations, and the two have been in a kind of economic codependency for a long time. Worrying about Chinese companies? That bird has long since flown, and Chinese money and ownership already feature very significantly in our lives.

With regard to a company like Epic being bought with the intention of making it more Chinese, and catering to the Chinese audience, I think that would be a more valid concern, but I'm not sure that's the case. An awful lot of Chinese ownership in the West is about straightforward investments in those markets, without intending to make changes. As I say, many things you would never imagine are already Chinese owned, and you wouldn't even be aware of it.

I'm not saying China is fine and dandy. I'm saying we should be clear about what it is and what it isn't. China today is not what a communist state looks like - it's what an authoritarian capitalist state looks like, and I don't think you'll find many lefties carrying a torch for it. I certainly wouldn't want to live in it, and I hope we don't end up living under Chinese hegemony.

Click to expand...

That I can agree on.

I'm sticking with Steam and GOG (and Uplay and Origin as needed) for now. Once the Epic store is proven to be a long term provider with a good selection of games, I`ll consider using them.

forgottenlor said:

I'm sticking with Steam and GOG (and Uplay and Origin as needed) for now. Once the Epic store is proven to be a long term provider with a good selection of games, I`ll consider using them.

Click to expand...

Same. Even setting aside the problematic Chinese owned thing, I have yet to see one compelling reason why I, as a pc gamer, would make the switch.

And I'm definitely not interested in fortnite or other Chinese styled games. They have zero appeal.

Epic Games selection of games is pitiful as of now...it will take years for them to catch up with steam at this rate.