The biggest is that Bandcamp is the exact product Epic has been trying to build since launching the Epic Games Store in 2018-a widely adopted, creator-friendly retail platform with a fervent user base and vast reserves of goodwill. Which brings us to another question: Why would Epic want to absorb a platform whose entire identity is built around independence? For a few reasons. The all-you-can-eat model of the major DSPs is antithetical to Bandcamp’s entire ethos, and if Epic goes that route and eliminates the option for consumers to purchase digital music directly from the artist, the marketplace Bandcamp has built up across the last 14 years will look completely different. Generating revenue through ongoing payments has been incredibly lucrative for platforms and publishers, but it can also devalue the art, reducing it to easily interchangeable content.īandcamp itself has allowed artists to set up their own subscriptions via the site for years, but that kind of patronage is more akin to a fan club than Spotify. These fears are not entirely unfounded, even if Bandcamp co-founder and CEO Ethan Diamond tried to quell concern in his statement, saying, “The products and services you depend on aren’t going anywhere, we’ll continue to build Bandcamp around our artists-first revenue model.” The giant red flag is Tencent’s involvement, and its predication upon Epic’s adoption of a GaaS subscription model. So, much of the shock coming from musicians and fans over the acquisition is rooted in the fear that everything people love about Bandcamp might change. On Bandcamp, fanbases can theoretically be built from the ground up, without having to pay for playlist placements to compete for fractions of pennies. Since making a livable wage in the streaming economy is really only viable for the most popular artists and labels, the Bandcamp model offers a necessary alternative: Every vinyl LP or screen-printed hoodie sold via the platform represents thousands of streams worth of revenue, every purchase minting a new relationship with a fan that the artists themselves control. Sweeney still maintains a controlling interest, but Epic has hordes of investors and, as of last year, a valuation north of $28 billion-40 percent of which has been held by the Chinese tech conglomerate Tencent since 2012. Most recently, it’s become a Games-as-a-Service (GaaS) company-where games are treated more like ongoing subscriptions than one-time purchases-with its eyes on establishing the building blocks of the metaverse. Since then, it’s gone from a cheeky startup founded by programmer Tim Sweeney out of his dad’s garage to a pioneer in PC 3D graphics to a console-centric development studio. To begin to consider how Epic will steer Bandcamp moving forward, it’s important to give the players involved a close look.Įpic began as an indie outsider in the early ’90s, giving itself an outsized name to match its ambition. “Together with the Harmonix team we will transform how players experience music, going from passive listeners to active participants.Yesterday’s news that Epic Games bought Bandcamp for an undisclosed sum sent shockwaves through both the gaming and music industries, with the companies’ official statements raising more questions than answers. "Music is already bringing millions of people together in Fortnite, from our emotes to global concerts and events,” said Alain Tascan, Vice President of Game Development at Epic Games. “Together we will push the creative boundaries of what’s possible and invent new ways for our players to make, perform and share music.” “Harmonix has always aspired to create the world’s most beloved interactive music experiences, and by joining Epic we will be able to do this at scale,” said Alex Rigopulos, Co-Founder and Chairman at Harmonix. Check out this post on Harmonix's blog for more details. The Harmonix team will collaborate closely with Epic to develop musical journeys and gameplay for Fortnite while continuing to support existing titles including Rock Band 4. As we work to build the metaverse, this expertise is needed to reimagine how music is experienced, created and distributed. Harmonix has a track record of creating fun and engaging music experiences designed for everyone to enjoy. Harmonix is one of the world's leading independent game development studios, best known for creating the Rock Band and Dance Central franchises. Today we are delighted to welcome Harmonix to Epic Games.
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