What Is the Epic Games Store? Free Games and Exclusive Titles Explained

What Is the Epic Games Store?

The Epic Games Store (EGS) is a digital game marketplace launched by Epic Games in 2018. It competes directly with Steam and offers a 12% revenue cut to developers (versus Steam's 30%), attracting publishers with better margins.

The Free Weekly Games Program

EGS has run a free game program since launch — typically offering one or two games every week, ranging from indie titles to AAA releases. Over the years, players have received free copies of games like GTA V, Borderlands 3, and many others. You keep the games permanently once claimed during the free period.

Epic Exclusives

Epic has secured timed exclusivity deals with publishers to keep games on EGS only for 6–12 months before they appear on Steam. Examples: Borderlands 3, Hitman 3, Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition (early release). This strategy has been controversial but has driven EGS adoption.

EGS vs Steam: Feature Comparison

EGS is more minimal compared to Steam:

• No user reviews (by design — reduces review bombing risk)
• No community forums built-in
• No Workshop mod support
• Achievement system (added later) less integrated than Steam
• Simpler UI

EGS and Fortnite

Fortnite is Epic's flagship free-to-play game and the reason most players first install EGS. It runs through EGS exclusively on PC.

Performance Overlay

EGS has an in-game overlay (default: F3) showing FPS and system performance. It can be disabled if you prefer OBS or MSI Afterburner overlays.