During 2018 a new game store was launched and now in 2021, there are over 58 million users. It’s not as big as Steam but still has a large userbase. For someone who wants to sell a game, being on Epic Games Store is still a way to reach a large audience. Gaming and gambling online have become bigger and bigger. Players searches for the cheapest deal available on all different stores in the same way gamblers search for online casino bonuses. The company Epic games are according to Investopedia behind the popular free-to-play game Fortnite.
Epic Gems Store has now added achievements, a concept that has existed on platforms like Steam for a long time. It gives the players something when reaching a specific goal. In this way, there is a sense of progress. You as a player reach a certain goal, playing for a certain amount of time or doing something else in the game and that unlocks an achievement. The concept makes playing more fun and also more rewarding. In many ways, this is something that gives gaming something else above and beyond the gaming experience. It shows other players that you have reached a milestone and becoming a better player.
Achievements based on PlayStation rarity
The achievements that you can unlock in Epic Games Store are based on the PlayStation rarity scale: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Each achievement gives you XP depending on the metal of the achievement. These achievements are at the moment of writing restricted to the following games:
- Rocket League.
- Hades.
- Pillars of Eternity.
- Kena.
- Zombie Army 4.
- Alan Wake Remastered.
- And more.
Epic Store has previously added developer achievements to its games. Now it also added different types of achievement to make gameplay better and more fun. This is a new step for the company that would be of great use for the players. Getting achievements are fun and make the gameplay better. As well as giving the player a sense of achievement at the same time. Reaching a new height is always something every gamer is struggling to reach. In this way, there is a way to measure how good the player has gotten. As well as giving something for the time invested in the game. In many ways, this shows that Epic Games Store is becoming a platform similar to other game stores. Something most players are looking for.
Proof of concept for XR via Microsoft HoloLens 2
In addition to adding achievements for the players of certain games, Epic Games Store has also added its Project Anywhere. It’s a cloud-based real-time environment simulator proof of concept XR via the Microsoft HoloLens 2. It uses the Unreal Mixed Reality Toolkit to allow users to move about the simulation, zoom in and teleport. There is a great struggle for all gaming companies to include VR, AR, and XR in games. And this could be a great beginning for a game using XR or Extended Reality.
The concept will be showcased at the upcoming GEOINT symposium. This means that in a near future we can expect to see games using XR to a new extent. Games haven’t really changed that much. There are better gameplay, better graphics, and more advanced games but you still play it on a computer screen or on a TV. By using XR, VR, and AR games can become more integrated and also change the fundaments of gameplay. Instead of playing on a screen, the game will play itself out in front of your eyes. In this way, you can play by using your own movements instead of clicking on a keyboard and mouse or on a game controller.
XR, VR, and AR in games
Epic Games Store’s recent announcement of a proof-of-concept XR simulator gives new hope to the world of gaming. There hasn’t been much development in XR, VR, and AR games. Games that would be a completely different experience from playing on a computer or a console. In this way, we can see how games can become a better experience. Not controlled by a keyboard and a mouse but by using the movements of the player. In this way, there would be no downside to playing a computer game.
The biggest benefit would also be to make games more realistic. If you play a game on a computer, there is a limit to how realistic it could become. When a game uses XR, VR, and AR the limits increase eventually to completely disappear. It would mean a new world of gaming where the experience would be amazing. This is what Epic Games Store has announced at the beginning of. It’s not a completely new announcement since their project has been underway for some time.
Gaming is getting better and closer to reality
The world is changing and becomes a place where everyone can get a realistic gaming experience. Epic Game Store has released new achievements as well as making a showing of their proof-of-concept XR simulator. In many ways, this is a way to show that the world can become better with gaming experiences becoming easier and more integrated with the player. There is so much that can be done when using XR, VR, and AR. One of the first games that showed the benefits of these concepts where Pokémon Go who used AR to make a better gaming experience.
This concept showed us that there are many things that can be done using these kinds of concepts. That’s also the reason why so many gamers have been waiting patiently for XR to be included in computer games. In many ways, it really shows the ability to create very realistic games. Where you can’t be completely sure if you’re playing a game or not. This is something we all are looking forward to since it gives us a way to experience something new and amazing. Epic Games Store is showing us that there is a future in XR for gamers and that this could be a new beginning for these kinds of concepts used in games.
