Why Steam Remains the Go-To PC Storefront: Insights from Witchfire Developer
One game developer has a compelling theory on what keeps Steam at the top of the PC gaming storefront hierarchy, despite the presence of competitors like the Epic Games Store. Adrian Chmielarz, co-founder of The Astronauts and creator of Witchfire, attributes part of Witchfire’s success to its stint as a timed exclusive on the Epic Games Store. However, during a recent interview with FRVR, he didn’t hold back on his critiques of EGS.
Chmielarz made a noticeable distinction between the two platforms, praising Steam for its rich community features. “There’s actually so much happening in that community hub for every single game, much more than I ever imagined,” he shared. He underscored how these interactive features cultivate a sense of emotional investment among users, stating, “It’s no wonder that people sort of get invested emotionally in Steam. And then they feel like, ‘Okay, my home is here, so my personal library is here’. So when something is released exclusively on Epic, something they want to play, then it’s a problem for them because now I’m gonna [have to] cheat on my home library with some other shop.”
This sentiment isn’t isolated. It’s true that the Epic Games Store often feels a bit barebones in comparison to Steam, particularly regarding the social components that transform Steam from just a storefront into a community. Take, for instance, the developers of the indie horror game Horses—they seemed to react much more significantly to being banned on Steam than on Epic. Chmielarz expressed this notion succinctly: “People are not, basically, using EGS as their home, it’s not home to them. I don’t know if it’s deliberate or not but they [EGS] don’t have written reviews. They don’t have the forums. There’s nothing to do there but to buy. So that will always lose to a shop that is also emotional and you can basically engage with the shop.”
Steam’s community-driven approach continues to give it a leg up in a competitive landscape, reinforcing why it remains the primary choice for PC gamers and developers alike.
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