Ever since the launch of Epic Games Store, the company has made big moves to make the storefront a destination for gamers. From major exclusive titles to an avalanche of scheduled free games to even publishing deals with popular developers, Epic Games has worked to become an even bigger player in the PC gaming space than it already is. Today, Epic Games has announced that its storefront will play host to more non-game PC apps.
The new batch of apps coming to Epic Games Store includes itch.io, the DRM-free indie game store, and iHeartRadio, the music-streaming radio app (only available in North America). In addition to those, Epic Games Store will now play host to Brave, a free and open-source web browser, KenShape, an app that generates 3D models based on 2D pixel art, and Krita, a digital painting application used to create illustrations, comics, animations, and more. Epic Games also teased additional apps in the future, including communications app Discord and Epic's face-to-face social network Houseparty.
While these apps are solid additions to the Epic Games Store offerings, they aren't the first non-gaming apps to hit the storefront. The marketplace already plays host to the popular music-streaming app Spotify. This added push into offering non-gaming apps signals a larger initiative for Epic Games. It attempts to make its marketplace where PC users go for more than just free and exclusive video games. On the Spotify front, Epic Games and Spotify are beginning a partnership with Fortnite. Starting today at 5 p.m. Pacific / 8 p.m. Eastern, Fortnite Crew Members can receive three free months of Spotify if they're new premium subscribers.
If you're interested in using Epic Games Store to bolster your app library, you can now find all of the non-gaming apps on one convenient landing page.
Do you use Epic Games Store regularly, or is it the storefront you fire up when there's a free game on offer or an exclusive title you can't get on Steam? Will you use Epic Games Store to download apps? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
Yesterday, Sony accidentally leaked a PlayStation Plus Video Pass feature on the official Poland PlayStation website. Today, the company has confirmed that this is a real feature and explained why it is region-locked to Poland (for now) and what the future of PS Plus Video Pass could look like.
While the new feature is official, it is not quite ready to be considered a fully launched perk. Currently, Sony is testing the Video Pass in Poland due to its large market. “We know very well that we have a large base of players in Poland who stand out due to their commitment and activity in the network and social media," said Sony Interactive Intertainment global services VP Nick Maguire told the site over at VGC.
He added, “Of course, I cannot share the exact data on the basis of which we chose Poland. However, I can emphasize that Poland meets all the criteria that are important to us, your country is a mixture of very important factors from this perspective.”
The service in question includes an added benefit to the PS Plus membership, allowing players instant access to movies under the Sony film umbrella. Films included in this service are Blood Shot, Venom, and Zombieland: Double Tap. The arrival of the service comes on the heels of a previous announcement that Sony would halt all purchases and rentals for TV and movies on the PlayStation Store. However, the company did confirm that already-owned items will remain intact and accessible.
For now, the new video service is limited to Poland but could change depending on testing. It will be interesting to see what happens next, especially where Sony films are concerned, given the recent Netflix deal and the agreement made with Disney Plus.
Thoughts on the PlayStation Plus Video Pass? Do you hope this service will be widely available for all, or do you think this is the wrong direction for Sony to be focusing on? Sound off with your hot takes in the comments below!
[Source: VGC]