Epic Games

Epic Games
Sergey Galyonkin from Berlin, Germany · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Name	Epic Games, Inc.
Founded	July 1991 as Potomac Computer Systems
Founder	Tim Sweeney
Hq location city	Cary, North Carolina
Hq location country	United States
Key people	Tim Sweeney (CEO), Mark Rein (VP)
Industry	Video games
Products	Unreal Engine, Epic Games Store, Fortnite, Gears of War, Unreal
Num employees	~7,000+ (2024)
Website	epicgames.com

Epic Games is a leading American video game and software developer and publisher. Founded by Tim Sweeney in 1991, the company is renowned for creating the influential Unreal Engine and blockbuster games like Fortnite. Headquartered in Cary, North Carolina, it has grown into a major force in the industry through its development tools, digital storefront, and live-service titles. The company's strategic moves, including high-profile legal battles and partnerships, have significantly shaped the modern video game industry.

History

The company was founded in 1991 in Potomac, Maryland by Tim Sweeney as Potomac Computer Systems, initially focusing on PC games. Its first commercial success was the shareware title ZZT (1991), which led to the adoption of the name Epic MegaGames. A pivotal moment came with the 1998 release of the first-person shooter Unreal, which debuted its internally developed Unreal Engine, a technology that would become a cornerstone of its business. The company relocated to Cary, North Carolina in 1999, simplifying its name, and achieved major commercial success with the Xbox-exclusive Gears of War series, developed by acquired studio People Can Fly. Significant investment from Tencent in 2012 provided capital for expansion, setting the stage for the 2017 launch of the cultural phenomenon Fortnite Battle Royale, which propelled the company to unprecedented financial and cultural heights.

Games

The company's early portfolio includes foundational titles like the puzzle game ZZT and the side-scroller Jill of the Jungle. Its breakthrough came with the first-person shooter Unreal (1998) and its sequel Unreal Tournament (1999), which were critical in showcasing the power of its game engine. The third-person shooter Gears of War (2006), developed for Microsoft's Xbox 360, became a flagship franchise known for its cover-based gameplay and narrative. The studio's most defining release is Fortnite, initially launched in 2017 as a cooperative survival game before its free-to-play Battle Royale mode ignited a global sensation. Other notable releases include Infinity Blade for iOS, Shadow Complex, and the multiplayer shooter Paragon.

Epic Games Store

Launched in December 2018 as a direct competitor to Valve's Steam, the Epic Games Store is a digital storefront for PC and macOS games. Its primary strategy to gain market share has been securing timed exclusives for major PC releases, such as Borderlands 3, Control, and Kingdom Hearts III. The storefront is also notable for its developer-friendly revenue split, taking only a 12% commission compared to the industry-standard 30%, a policy praised by many independent developers. Furthermore, it gained significant user attention through its weekly giveaway of free games, which included titles like Grand Theft Auto V, Civilization VI, and Star Wars Battlefront II.

Unreal Engine

The Unreal Engine is a premier suite of creation tools for real-time 3D content, widely used across the video game industry and in fields like film production, architecture, and simulation. First showcased in 1998's Unreal, the engine is known for its high-fidelity graphics and robust toolset. Its licensing model, particularly the move to a royalty-based system with Unreal Engine 3, made it accessible to a vast range of developers. The release of Unreal Engine 5 in 2022 introduced groundbreaking features like Nanite virtualized geometry and Lumen global illumination. Major games built on the engine include the Gears of War series, BioShock Infinite, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, and the Final Fantasy VII Remake. The engine is also instrumental in virtual production for projects like the Disney+ series The Mandalorian.

Legal and business

The company has been at the center of several high-profile legal and business disputes that have influenced industry practices. Its most significant conflict is the lawsuit against Apple Inc. and Google beginning in 2020, challenging their app store fees and payment systems on iOS and Android; the case against Apple led to a mixed ruling that impacted App Store policies. It has also engaged in legal battles with Silicon Knights and Nvidia. On the business front, the company has made strategic acquisitions, including the social video app Houseparty, the music platform Bandcamp, and the art tool Sketchfab. It operates a publishing label, Epic Games Publishing, and has invested heavily in the metaverse and digital ecosystem surrounding Fortnite, hosting virtual events like the Travis Scott concert and collaborating with brands like Marvel and Star Wars.

Category:Video game companies of the United States Category:Video game development companies Category:Companies based in North Carolina