Epic Games Store’s Fight to Regain Ground Against Steam

Newzoo analyst Emmanuel Rosier, director of market intelligence, argues that the Epic Games Store (EGS) is unlikely to reverse its market position. He emphasizes Steam’s “inevitable” dominance and suggests that EGS’s free-game giveaways merely encourage users to collect titles without playing them, sometimes even boosting sales on Steam. Rosier also notes that Epic has been “trying to win everywhere” – against Steam, Apple, and Google Play – and may have exhausted its resources.

Epic Games Store overhaul might be "too little, too late", says Newzoo analyst

Verbatim Quotes

Can the Epic Games Store turn things around? 'I don't see how they can recover at this point,' says Newzoo analyst

• “I don't really see how they can turn that around,” — Emmanuel Rosier, newzoo analyst

Epic Games Store overhaul might be "too little, too late", says Newzoo analyst

• “The challenge I think Epic is facing is that they try to win everywhere in the past few years,” — Emmanuel Rosier, newzoo analyst

Can the Epic Games Store turn things around? 'I don't see how they can recover at this point,' says Newzoo analyst

• “I think that's an important trend I see with Fortnite,” — Emmanuel Rosier, newzoo analyst

Can the Epic Games Store turn things around? 'I don't see how they can recover at this point,' says Newzoo analyst

Epic Games disputes Rosier’s assessment. Martin Keely, Vice President and General Manager of the Epic Games Store, points to internal data showing strong user engagement. He states that in 2025 players logged a record 2.78 billion hours on third-party games via EGS and that spending on those games rose 57 % to an all-time high of $400 million. Keely adds that the upcoming launcher redesign and technical improvements are expected to accelerate this momentum.

Analyst doesn't believe in EGS's competitive prospects against Steam - Epic Games disagreed

Both Rosier and Epic agree that Fortnite remains central to Epic’s strategy. Rosier observes that recent seasons have incorporated a wide range of crossover cosmetics—from Sonic the Hedgehog to Kingdom Hearts’ Sora—signaling an “important trend” for the game. He suggests that continued collaboration could shift Fortnite’s focus from pop-culture tie-ins to classic platform-game mascots. Epic’s leadership echoes this view, noting that Fortnite’s evolving content “does everything it can” to retain player interest, which Rosier says appears more effective now than six months to a year ago.

Epic Games Store overhaul might be "too little, too late", says Newzoo analyst

While Epic plans an interface redesign, faster launcher startup, and personalized storefront features, analysts remain doubtful that these changes will overcome Steam’s entrenched market share. The tension between Rosier’s skepticism and Epic’s optimistic metrics highlights the uncertainty surrounding EGS’s ability to secure a lasting competitive foothold.

Epic Games Store overhaul might be "too little, too late", says Newzoo analyst