Epic Games, the popular gaming company, has finally launched its self-publishing tools for game developers on the Epic Store. The development of this feature took 18 months and is now available for developers to release their own games, but there are requirements to qualify for self-publishing. Some of these requirements include PC cross-play for multiplayer games, Epic Games Store achievement features built into the game, age ratings for regional distribution, non-prohibited content, and game quality.

Previously, Epic had an internal selection process for adding games to the store. Now, once approved as a publisher, game developers can access an audience of over 230 million users directly through the Epic Store. The self-publishing tools also provide access to the Developer Portal, which has an integrated process for obtaining IARC ratings at no cost. Epic provides professional localization for game pages at no additional cost. There is also a Support-A-Creator affiliate program that allows developers to incentivize content creators and amplify their game outside of the store by sharing a percentage of revenue with them. Publishers receive 88% of the revenue for the games sold through Epic Games Store, with an option to use the developer's own or a 3rd-party payment solution to receive 100% of the revenue from in-app purchases.

What does this mean for blockchain gaming? Despite the massive backlash from the gaming community, Epic Games remains keen on blockchain gaming. They have a fully released crypto game in Blankos Block Party, available to play on the Epic Store, and are open for blockchain gaming projects to apply for self-publishing. This is huge for the blockchain gaming industry, as developers can not only access Unreal Engine 5 and Web3.Unreal Plugin but also publish their own games on the Epic Games Store directly. The generous revenue share model will be a big advantage for early-stage blockchain gaming projects.

The launch of self-publishing tools on the Epic Games Store is expected to revolutionize the gaming industry. Game developers, especially those in the blockchain gaming industry, can now directly access a massive audience, access Epic's professional localization services and support, and generate revenue from in-app purchases. The revenue share model, in particular, is expected to be a game-changer for blockchain gaming projects that are still in their early stages. This move by Epic Games shows their commitment to supporting the gaming industry and their willingness to embrace new technologies like blockchain.