As a means of securing more PC game developers, Microsoft has opted to reduce its cut of profits from PC titles sold on the Windows store from 30 percent to just 12 percent beginning on August 1st. The decision was likely prompted by Epic Games, which pioneered the generous idea of letting publishers keep 88 percent of their games’ total earned revenue. It remains to be seen whether Valve will consider a similar policy, as Steam still takes a 30 percent cut for games that fail to reach $10 million in sales (25 percent when sales hit $10 million, 20 percent for every sale after $50 million).
✅Age of Empires IV
— Xbox (@Xbox) April 29, 2021
✅Multiplayer cross-play and cross-progression support in Halo Infinite
✅Xbox Cloud Gaming on PC
✅100+ games added to Xbox Game Pass for PC so far in 2021
Read what Xbox has planned for PC gaming in 2021 and beyond: https://t.co/Dw13ObQTMu pic.twitter.com/dw9TpVvnrk
Having a clear, no-strings-attached revenue share means developers can bring more games to more players and find greater commercial success from doing so. All this to help reduce friction, increase the financial opportunity, and let game developers do what they love: make games.
Sources: Xbox Wire, Sarah Bond