ADDEDb337rel/platforms-stores2 min read
Epic Games Store adds profiles, reviews and controller support
Epic Games Store is adding profiles, user reviews and controller support, closing long-standing feature gaps with Steam in the PC storefront war.
Patch notes
Epic Games Store is adding user profiles, customer reviews and controller support
The store launched in December 2018 without these core features
Reviews are the most commercially significant addition for studios publishing on the platform
Epic's revenue split remains 12% versus Steam's 30%
Epic Games Store is adding user profiles, customer reviews and controller support — three features players have requested since the storefront launched in December 2018, according to a report from xda-developers.com.
The additions address the most persistent criticism of Epic's PC storefront: that it lacks the community and usability features Steam has built over two decades. Profiles let players establish a persistent identity on the platform, while user reviews give buyers a signal Steam shoppers have long taken for granted. Controller support, meanwhile, removes a practical barrier for anyone playing on a couch setup or with non-keyboard peripherals.
What changes for developers and publishers?
User reviews are the most consequential of the three for studios. On Steam, review scores directly influence visibility, conversion and storefront placement. If Epic's implementation follows a similar pattern, publishers distributing on the Epic Games Store will for the first time have a public quality signal attached to their listings — with the reputational risks and conversion benefits that entails.
The details of the review system — whether developers can opt out, how Epic handles review bombing, and whether scores feed into merchandising — will determine how much operational weight the feature carries. Valve offers opt-outs, response tools and anomaly detection on Steam; studios will be watching whether Epic matches any of that.
Profiles and controller support are less commercially loaded but still matter. Profiles are a prerequisite for social features, wishlists tied to identity and friend-based discovery — all discovery mechanics that drive organic installs. Controller support broadens the addressable audience toward living-room and handheld-style play, which has grown alongside the PC handheld market.
Why now?
Epic has spent years competing on exclusives and its free weekly game giveaway rather than feature parity. That strategy built a large registered user base but left the client itself thin next to Steam, which dominates PC distribution.
Closing feature gaps signals Epic wants the store to compete on everyday usability, not just on deal-making. Each parity step — shopping carts arrived only in late 2021 after years of complaints — reduces the friction that pushed players to buy elsewhere even when they owned the launcher.
For studios weighing launch platforms, a more complete store means the revenue split argument (Epic takes 12% versus Steam's 30%) comes with fewer compromises on player-facing features.
What to watch
The rollout dates and exact scope of each feature have not been detailed in the report. Whether Epic ships review moderation tools alongside the review system itself, and how quickly publishers respond by adjusting their distribution mixes, will be the signals worth tracking through the rest of the year.
via Google News - Epic Games Store Steam (Source)