Epic To Launch Cross-Platform Game Services

Catchy dance moves and big guns aren’t entirely responsible for the immense success of Fortnite.

In part, it’s also thanks to the software infrastructure and tools that Epic Games built to run the cross-platform gaming sensation. Now, positioning itself as a platform for developers, the game maker is offering that underlining infrastructure for free.

Throughout 2019, Epic plans to launch various cross-platform game services, which were first built for Fortnite, and have since been tested by some 200,000,000 players across seven platforms.

“At Epic, our goal is to help game developers succeed,” the company states.

At first, Epic will launch a C SDK, which will encompass its online services, together with its Unreal Engine -- a software ecosystem for game development -- and Unity integrations.

With the SDK, developers can let game players recognize other players across multiple sessions and devices, identify “friends” and manage free and paid item entitlements.

Services soon to be on offer will include the ability to match a player’s profile and in-game purchases across platforms, and cross-platform voice exchanges.

This support will extend across all major platforms, including PC, Mac, iOS, Android, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch, according to Epic. Going forward, Epic also says it plans to focus on further support for user-generated content and improved social media features.

The move turns up the heat on Value, which currently operates the top desktop gaming store.

Earlier this month, Epic said it was readying its own desktop games store, while it reportedly plans to offer developers a more attractive revenue spit than what Valve currently offers.

Epic operates its services primarily on Amazon Web Services data centers throughout the world.
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