Epic Games Store lets devs use third-party payment systems

Epic Games has changed the payment processing rules in its store. Now developers will have more flexibility in how they take in-game purchases.

Previously, Epic Games Store customers could only make IAPs using the payment system provided by Epic itself. Now developers can choose and integrate whatever payment solutions they prefer.

We support developers’ right to choose among the best stores, in-app payment processors, online services, and engines, and to mix and match these components as they wish.

Tim Sweeney, co-founder and CEO at Epic Games, via Gamasutra

The innovation will help studios reach markets that do not use credit cards. In another crucial impovement, Epic Games will not take a percentage of transactions made through third-party systems. That means creators can keep more money if they use payment services with a lower commission. And, of course, Epic Games Store takes a smaller share of upfront sales than its closest competitor Steam (12% versus 30%).

Right now, Epic Games Store does not support all third-party services. But developers can implement the unsupported payment processor themselves. To do this, according to VentureBeat, they can contract Xsolla, an American company with Russian roots, which specializes in gaming monetization.