Three Key Discoverability Takeaways From the Epic/Apple Lawsuit

This analysis examines internal data from Epic Games revealed during legal discovery to identify trends in platform revenue and discoverability. The scope covers major gaming platforms—including PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android—with a primary focus on the performance of the Epic Games Store (EGS) and flagship titles like Fortnite and Rocket League between 2018 and 2020.

Data indicates that for social-centric free-to-play phenomena, console platforms can significantly outperform PC and mobile. For the 18 months ending July 2020, PlayStation 4 generated 46.8% of Fortnite’s total revenue, while PC accounted for only 18.7%. This contrasts with smaller independent titles, which typically see their highest sales on PC and Switch. Furthermore, mobile monetization showed a significant disparity; iOS generated substantially higher revenue than Android, likely due to hardware fragmentation and the complexities of the Android store ecosystem.

The findings suggest that EGS remains heavily dependent on paid exclusives to drive traffic. Daily revenue charts from 2019 show massive spikes tied to major exclusive launches like Borderlands 3—which saw $100 million in recoupable revenue within two weeks—followed by flat periods. Despite aggressive spending, including $330 million in unrecouped costs on game advances, the store struggled with long-term retention. Only 7% of users who joined for free game giveaways eventually purchased a title.

Regarding the EGS free game program, data from the first nine months of 2019 shows a wide variance in buyout prices, ranging from $45,000 to $1.5 million. Analysis suggests that the number of "entitlements" (claims) did not always correlate with the buyout price, indicating that developers may have significant room to negotiate higher lump-sum payments. Ultimately, the store appears to be transitioning from an aggressive pursuit of exclusives toward a model focused on first-party hubs and co-publishing partnerships.