History of Epic Games in Timeline
Epic Games, Inc., a prominent American video game and software developer and publisher, is headquartered in Cary, North Carolina. Founded in 1991 by Tim Sweeney as Potomac Computer Systems, the company initially operated from his parents' house in Potomac, Maryland. Its first commercial release, ZZT (1991), paved the way for a name change to Epic MegaGames, Inc. in early 1992. Mark Rein joined the company as vice president during this time. Relocating to Cary in 1999, the company adopted its current name, Epic Games.
January 1991: ZZT Release
Epic released ZZT in January 1991, marking its first foray into video game development.
1991: Potomac Computer Systems Origins
Tim Sweeney founded Potomac Computer Systems as a computer consulting business in 1991.
1991: Epic Games Founded
Tim Sweeney founded Potomac Computer Systems, which would later become Epic Games, in 1991.
1992: Growth and Expansion
Epic MegaGames expanded its team and operations in 1992, bringing on key personnel like Mark Rein and Cliff Bleszinski.
1992: Epic MegaGames
Potomac Computer Systems was renamed Epic MegaGames in 1992, and Mark Rein joined the company.
1996: Fire Fight Release
Epic MegaGames released the isometric shooter Fire Fight in 1996.
1997: Company Size
Epic MegaGames had 50 employees worldwide by 1997.
1998: Unreal Engine and Game Release
Epic MegaGames released the groundbreaking Unreal Engine and the first Unreal game in 1998.
February 1999: Epic Games Headquarters Move
Epic MegaGames officially became Epic Games and moved its headquarters to Cary, North Carolina in February 1999.
1999: Relocation and Renaming
Epic MegaGames moved its headquarters to Cary, North Carolina in 1999 and shortened its name to Epic Games.
2004: Make Something Unreal Competition
Epic Games launched the Make Something Unreal competition in 2004 to encourage mod development using Unreal Engine.
2006: Shift to Consoles and Gears of War
Epic Games shifted its focus to console development and released the highly successful Gears of War in 2006.
July 19, 2007: Silicon Knights Sues Epic Games
On July 19, 2007, Canadian game development studio Silicon Knights filed a lawsuit against Epic Games. The lawsuit centered around allegations that Epic Games failed to deliver a functional game engine, resulting in significant financial losses for the Ontario-based developer.
August 2007: Epic Games Countersues Silicon Knights
In August 2007, Epic Games responded to Silicon Knights' lawsuit with a counter-suit. Epic's counter-suit asserted that Silicon Knights was fully aware at the time of signing the licensing agreement that certain aspects of Unreal Engine 3 were still under development.
2008: Gears of War 2 Success
Gears of War 2 was released in 2008 and sold over three million copies in its first month.
2008: Acquisition of Chair Entertainment
In 2008, Epic Games acquired Utah-based Chair Entertainment, the developer of Undertow. This acquisition marked an expansion of Epic's development capabilities.
May 2009: ZZT Sales Update
As of May 2009, ZZT had sold several thousand copies.
2009: Launch of Shadow Complex
In Summer 2009, Chair Entertainment, a subsidiary of Epic Games, launched Shadow Complex, an adventure game inspired by the Metroid series.
September 1, 2010: Epic Citadel Tech Demo Release
Epic Games released the Epic Citadel tech demo on September 1, 2010, showcasing Unreal Engine 3 capabilities on iOS, Flash, and HTML5.
December 9, 2010: Infinity Blade Release
Epic Games launched Infinity Blade for iOS on December 9, 2010.
2011: Titan Studios Closure and Fortnite Announcement
Epic Games subsidiary Titan Studios was closed, and the company announced the development of Fortnite in 2011.
2011: Gears of War 3 Release
Gears of War 3 was released in 2011.
May 30, 2012: Epic Games Wins Lawsuit Against Silicon Knights
On May 30, 2012, Epic Games emerged victorious in a lawsuit against Silicon Knights. The court found Silicon Knights guilty of copyright infringement, misappropriation of trade secrets, and breach of contract, resulting in a $4.45 million penalty for Silicon Knights. This amount was later doubled due to prejudgment interest, attorney fees, and other costs.
June 2012: Epic Games Opens Epic Baltimore
In June 2012, Epic Games opened a new studio called Epic Baltimore, composed of former employees from 38 Studios' Big Huge Games.
June 2012: Tencent Acquires Stake in Epic Games
In June 2012, Chinese company Tencent invested $330 million in Epic Games, acquiring 48.4% of the company, marking the start of Epic's transition towards a games-as-a-service model.
August 2012: Epic Games Acquires People Can Fly
Epic Games acquired the game development studio People Can Fly in August 2012.
August 2012: Epic Baltimore Becomes Impossible Studios
Epic Baltimore was renamed Impossible Studios in August 2012.
November 7, 2012: Silicon Knights Ordered to Destroy Unreal Engine 3 Code and Games
As a result of the May 30, 2012, court ruling, Silicon Knights was ordered to destroy all game code derived from Unreal Engine 3 on November 7, 2012. This included all information from licensee-restricted areas of Epic's Unreal Engine documentation website. Silicon Knights was also instructed to recall and destroy all unsold retail copies of games built with Unreal Engine 3 code.
2012: Tencent Investment
Tencent acquired a 40% stake in Epic Games in 2012.
January 29, 2013: Epic Citadel Android Release
Epic Citadel was released for Android devices on January 29, 2013.
February 2013: Impossible Studios Closes
Impossible Studios, formerly Epic Baltimore, shut down in February 2013.
November 2013: People Can Fly Rebranded as Epic Games Poland
People Can Fly was rebranded as Epic Games Poland in November 2013 and started working with Epic on Fortnite.
November 2013: Final ZZT Shipment
The last copy of ZZT was shipped in November 2013.
May 16, 2014: Silicon Knights Files for Bankruptcy
Silicon Knights filed for bankruptcy on May 16, 2014, following the legal battle with Epic Games and the court-ordered destruction of its Unreal Engine 3 games and code.
2014: Guinness World Record
In 2014, Unreal Engine was named the "most successful videogame engine" by Guinness World Records.
2014: Announcement of Unreal Tournament
Epic Games revealed its plans for a new free-to-play, community-developed Unreal Tournament game in 2014.
March 2015: Unreal Engine 4 Goes Free
Epic Games made Unreal Engine 4 free to use in March 2015, opting for a 5% royalty fee on games developed using the engine.
June 2015: People Can Fly Becomes Independent Again
Epic Games sold its stake in Epic Games Poland (formerly People Can Fly), allowing the studio to return to its original name in June 2015.
2015: Shadow Complex Remastered Release
Epic Games launched a remastered version of Shadow Complex for modern consoles and computers in 2015.
2016: Paragon Launch
Paragon, a free-to-play multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game, was released by Epic Games in 2016 for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 4.
April 7, 2017: Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition Release
People Can Fly, no longer under Epic Games, released a remastered version of Bulletstorm called Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition on April 7, 2017, published by Gearbox Software.
July 2017: Fortnite Enters Early Access
Fortnite became available for early access in July 2017, initially as a paid title.
September 2017: Fortnite Battle Royale Release
Fortnite Battle Royale, inspired by the success of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, launched in September 2017 as a free-to-play game across computers, consoles, and mobile devices.
2017: Epic Games Joins Disney Accelerator Program
Epic Games was chosen to participate in the Disney Accelerator program in 2017, receiving equity investment and potential collaboration opportunities with Disney.
2017: Fortnite Battle Royale Release
The release of Fortnite Battle Royale in 2017 led to significant growth and investments in Epic Games.
2017: Tim Sweeney Questions Digital Storefront Revenue Cuts
Starting in 2017, Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, began questioning the 30% revenue cut taken by digital storefronts like Steam, the iOS App Store, and Google Play. He argued that an 8% revenue cut should be sufficient for profitability.
January 2018: Acquisition of Cloudgine
In January 2018, Epic Games acquired Cloudgine, a developer of cloud-based gaming software, expanding Epic's technological capabilities.
May 2018: Fortnite Battle Royale Reaches 125 Million Players
By May 2018, Fortnite Battle Royale had attracted over 125 million players.
July 2018: Fortnite's Financial Success
By July 2018, Fortnite was estimated to have generated over $1 billion in revenue through microtransactions, contributing to a significant increase in Epic Games' valuation.
July 2018: Epic Reduces Marketplace Revenue Cut
In July 2018, Epic Games decreased its share of revenue from assets sold on the Unreal Engine Marketplace from 30% to 12%.
October 2018: Acquisition of Kamu
In October 2018, Epic Games acquired Kamu, a firm known for its anti-cheat software, Easy Anti-Cheat, to enhance security in their games.
October 2018: Epic Games Investment Round
In October 2018, Epic Games secured $1.25 billion in investment from seven firms, including KKR, ICONIQ Capital, and Smash Ventures. This brought Epic's valuation to nearly $15 billion.
December 4, 2018: Epic Games Store Announced
On December 4, 2018, Epic Games announced the creation of its own digital storefront for games, the Epic Games Store, which was launched a few days later alongside The Game Awards 2018 presentation.
January 2019: Epic Partners with Improbable
In January 2019, Epic Games partnered with Improbable to create a $25 million fund to support developers impacted by changes to the Unity game engine.
January 2019: Acquisition of 3Lateral and Agog Labs
In January 2019, Epic Games acquired 3Lateral, known for digital human creations, and Agog Labs, developers of SkookumScript. These acquisitions aimed to enhance Unreal Engine's capabilities and scripting support.
February 2019: Fortnite Esports Prize Pool Announced
Epic Games revealed a $100 million prize pool in February 2019 for Fortnite esports events, planned to run from 2019 onwards.
March 2019: Fortnite Reaches 250 Million Players
As of March 2019, Fortnite had garnered nearly 250 million players.
May 2019: Nate Nanzer Joins Epic Games
Epic Games recruited Nate Nanzer, former Overwatch League commissioner, to enhance its esports efforts in May 2019.
May 2019: Acquisition of Psyonix
In May 2019, Epic Games acquired Psyonix, the developer of Rocket League. Psyonix had a history with Epic, contributing to Unreal Tournament.
May 2019: Epic Acquires Twinmotion
In May 2019, Epic acquired the Twinmotion visualization tool from Abvent, with plans to expand its functionality and incorporate it into their Unreal Engine offerings.
June 2019: Epic Games Receives BAFTA Special Award
Epic Games was honored with the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Special Award in June 2019 for its contributions to the Unreal Engine.
June 2019: Epic Acquires Houseparty
Epic acquired Life on Air, the developers of the social networking service Houseparty, in June 2019. The financial details of the deal were not made public.
July 2019: Blender Foundation Receives MegaGrants Funding
In July 2019, the Blender Foundation was granted $1.2 million from Epic's MegaGrants program to improve its 3D art creation tools.
November 2019: Epic Acquires Quixel
In November 2019, Epic Games acquired Quixel, a company renowned for possessing the world's largest photogrammetry asset library. This library enables the creation of 3D models of objects using high-definition photography of real-world objects.
2019: Epic Supports Filmmakers with Unreal Engine
Since 2019, Epic Games has provided support to filmmakers using the Unreal Engine for virtual set creation in productions such as The Mandalorian. Moreover, Epic committed to backing major animated feature film production using Unreal, starting with Gilgamesh, in collaboration with studios Hook Up, DuermeVela, and FilmSharks.
January 1, 2020: Epic Waives Unreal License Fees
Starting January 1, 2020, Epic Games waived all Unreal Engine license fees for games up to the first $1 million in revenue. This decision was applied retroactively, impacting numerous developers using Unreal Engine.
March 2020: Cubic Motion Acquired by Epic
In March 2020, Epic Games further expanded its portfolio by acquiring Cubic Motion. Cubic Motion is a company that specializes in providing highly detailed digital facial animations, used in both films and video games.
March 2020: Epic Games Publishing Launch
In March 2020, Epic announced the creation of a new multi-platform publishing label, Epic Games Publishing. This initiative included deals with Remedy Entertainment, Playdead, and GenDesign, offering full funding for development and publishing while allowing developers to retain creative control and IP rights. Profits were to be shared 50/50 after Epic recouped its investment.
March 2020: Houseparty App Faces Hacking Accusations
In March 2020, accusations surfaced on social media alleging that Epic Games' social networking app Houseparty was responsible for security breaches on other services like Netflix and Spotify. Epic denied the accusations, calling them a smear campaign, and offered a $1 million bounty to anyone who could substantiate the claims.
May 13, 2020: Unreal Engine 5 Announcement
On May 13, 2020, Epic Games announced Unreal Engine 5, planned for an early 2022 release. Alongside this, they released Epic Online Services, a free SDK toolset for online matchmaking and cross-platform play support based on Fortnite, and waived all Unreal license fees for the first $1 million in revenue retroactively from January 1, 2020.
May 2020: Epic Online Services Released
In May 2020, Epic Online Services was made available to all developers. This free SDK, based on Epic's Fortnite code, allows developers to incorporate cross-platform play features into their games, encompassing functionalities such as matchmaking, friends lists, leaderboards, and achievements.
May 2020: Sony's Investment in Epic Games
In May 2020, Sony made a $250 million investment in Epic Games, acquiring approximately a 1.4% stake. This investment continued the companies' technology collaboration, particularly following the demonstration of Unreal Engine 5 earlier that month.
June 2020: Epic Games Valuation and Movie Nite Partnership
In June 2020, Epic Games was reported to be nearing a $17 billion valuation following a $750 million investment round. Additionally, Epic partnered with Christopher Nolan and Warner Bros. for 'Movie Nite' on Fortnite's 'Party Royale' island, streaming films like Inception, Batman Begins, and The Prestige based on users' countries.
August 13, 2020: Fortnite App Store Controversy
Epic Games launched a direct payment option in Fortnite, bypassing Apple and Google's storefronts, leading to lawsuits and antitrust scrutiny on August 13, 2020.
August 28, 2020: Apple Threatens to Terminate Epic Games' Developer Accounts
On August 28, 2020, Apple threatened to terminate Epic Games' developer accounts in response to Epic's attempt to bypass Apple's payment system in Fortnite. This led Epic to file a motion for a preliminary injunction.
September 2020: Epic Acquires SuperAwesome
Epic acquired SuperAwesome, a company known for developing services that support child-safe gaming, in September 2020. This move aimed to enhance Epic's portfolio by incorporating these elements and offering them to other developers, particularly for games designed around Epic's vision of metaverse gaming.
September 2020: Epic Games Launches Coalition for App Fairness
In September 2020, Epic Games, along with thirteen other companies, launched the Coalition for App Fairness, advocating for fairer conditions for apps in app stores.
November 2020: Hyprsense Acquired by Epic
In November 2020, Epic Games announced the acquisition of Hyprsense, a company specializing in digital facial animation technology.
2020: Fall Guys Success
In 2020, Mediatonic's Fall Guys achieved significant success and was planned to remain accessible on Steam while Epic would facilitate its expansion to other platforms.
January 2021: RAD Game Tools Acquisition
Epic acquired RAD Game Tools in January 2021. RAD Game Tools is known for creating various middleware solutions for video game development, and Epic planned to integrate these tools into the Unreal Engine while ensuring their continued availability outside of Unreal as well.
January 2021: Epic Purchases Cary Towne Center
In January 2021, Epic Games purchased the Cary Towne Center in Cary, North Carolina, which was set to be closed and demolished, to transform it into their new headquarters and campus by 2024.
February 2021: MetaHuman Creator Unveiling
In February 2021, Epic Games unveiled MetaHuman Creator, a browser-based application allowing game developers to quickly create realistic human characters using technology from 3Lateral, Cubic Motion, and Quixel. These characters can then be exported for use in Unreal Engine.
March 2021: Partnership with Cesium
In March 2021, Epic Games announced a partnership with Cesium to integrate 3D geospatial data into Unreal Engine as a free add-on, enhancing the engine's capabilities for creating realistic environments.
March 2021: Epic Acquires Tonic Games Group
In March 2021, Epic announced the acquisition of the Tonic Games Group, including developers Mediatonic and Fortitude Games. This acquisition was part of Epic's broader plan to create its own metaverse.
April 2021: ArtStation Acquired by Epic Games
Epic Games acquired ArtStation, a platform designed for professional artists, in April 2021. This acquisition granted ArtStation members access to Epic's tools and support, such as the Unreal Engine, and resulted in a reduction of ArtStation's commission on purchases from 30% to 12%.
April 2021: Epic Games Secures $1 Billion Funding
In April 2021, Epic Games completed a $1 billion funding round to support its long-term vision for the metaverse, increasing the company's valuation to $28.7 billion. This round included a $200 million investment from Sony.
June 2021: Anti-Cheat and Voice Chat Added to Epic Online Services
In June 2021, anti-cheat functionality and voice chat capabilities were integrated into Epic Online Services, further enhancing its features and appeal to developers.
July 2021: Epic Games Acquires Sketchfab
In July 2021, Epic Games further strengthened its presence in the creative industry by acquiring Sketchfab, a marketplace dedicated to 3D models. Similar to the ArtStation acquisition, this allowed Sketchfab to implement a more favorable pricing structure, reducing its revenue cut on purchases to 12% and making the Sketchfab Plus membership level free of charge.
September 10, 2021: U.S. District Court Issues Ruling in Epic Games v. Apple
On September 10, 2021, the U.S. District Court issued a ruling in the Epic Games v. Apple case. The court ruled in Apple's favor on nine out of ten counts but ruled against Apple on anti-steering provisions. This resulted in a permanent injunction preventing Apple from restricting developers from linking to external storefronts within their apps.
September 2021: Apple Lawsuit Outcome
Apple won in court against Epic Games in September 2021, upholding its app store policies.
October 2021: Houseparty App Shut Down
Despite acquiring the Houseparty app in June 2019, Epic later shut down the app in October 2021, although the team behind it continued developing social apps for Epic's platforms.
October 2021: Epic Games Expands Publishing Options
In October 2021, Epic Games expanded their publishing options by partnering with developers Spry Fox and Eyes Out. This move was part of Epic's broader strategy to support creative studios while maintaining their independence.
October 2021: New Scripted Entertainment Division
In October 2021, Epic Games launched a new scripted entertainment division, hiring three former Lucasfilm executives to lead it. The division's initial plans included creating a Fortnite film.
November 2021: Harmonix Acquisition
In November 2021, Epic Games acquired Harmonix, a company specializing in music game development. The terms of the acquisition remained undisclosed.
February 2022: Epic Games Reaches 500 Million Accounts
In February 2022, Epic Games announced that it had achieved a milestone of over half a billion accounts created on its platform.
March 2022: Epic Acquires Bandcamp
In March 2022, Epic Games acquired Bandcamp, an indie music platform. Bandcamp was expected to maintain its independent operations under Epic's ownership while benefiting from Epic's backend services.
April 2022: RealityScan Beta Release
In April 2022, Epic Games released the initial beta version of RealityScan, a mobile app that uses technology from Capturing Reality and Quixel to create 3D models from user-taken photos, which can be imported into Sketchfab.
April 2022: Epic Receives Investments from Sony and Kirkbi
In April 2022, Epic Games received $1 billion investments each from Sony and Kirkbi, the parent company of The Lego Group. The investments brought Kirkbi's ownership to 3% and Sony's to 4.9%, increasing Epic's valuation to $32 billion. Epic and Lego also announced a partnership to build a child-friendly metaverse space.
April 2022: Company Valuation
As of April 2022, Epic Games was valued at US$32 billion.
September 2022: Epic and Autodesk Partnership
In September 2022, Epic and Autodesk formed a partnership that made Twinmotion accessible to Revit subscribers, broadening the reach and accessibility of Epic's visualization tool.
December 2022: Epic Games Fined $520 Million by FTC
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) fined Epic Games $520 million in December 2022 for violations related to Fortnite. The FTC accused Epic Games of violating COPPA by collecting children's personal data without parental consent, exposing children to potential harassment, and misleading users into making unwanted purchases.
2022: Planned Release of Unreal Engine 5
In 2022, Epic Games planned to release Unreal Engine 5, featuring advanced tools and capabilities aimed at revolutionizing game development.
April 2023: Epic Games Brasil Established
Epic acquired Brazilian studio Aquiris and renamed it Epic Games Brasil in April 2023, with the intention of utilizing the studio's expertise for Fortnite.
September 2023: Epic Games Layoffs and Divestments
In September 2023, Epic Games announced the layoff of 870 employees and the divestment of Bandcamp to Songtradr. Additionally, SuperAwesome was spun off into its own company. CEO Tim Sweeney stated this move was necessary to control spending and did not foresee further layoffs.
September 2023: Bandcamp Sold to Songtradr
In September 2023, Epic Games sold Bandcamp to Songtradr, a music licensing company. This came after Epic's acquisition of Bandcamp in March 2022.
December 2023: Google Lawsuit Outcome
A jury ruled that Google's actions were monopolistic in December 2023 in the Epic Games lawsuit.
December 2023: Jury Finds in Favor of Epic Games in Google Antitrust Case
A jury trial held in November and December 2023 concluded with the jury finding in favor of Epic Games on all claims against Google. The jury determined that Google maintained a monopoly on the Android marketplace through its management of the Play Store and its leverage as a big tech firm.
December 2023: Launch of Rocket Racing in Fortnite
In December 2023, Epic Games and Psyonix launched Rocket Racing, an arcade-style car racing game inside Fortnite, continuing their collaboration post-acquisition.
December 2023: Fortnite Festival Mode Launch
In December 2023, Harmonix, under Epic's ownership, introduced the Fortnite Festival mode. This mode emulated the note-matching gameplay found in Rock Band and was part of Epic's broader metaverse development plans.
January 2024: Second Phase of Epic Games v. Google Trial Scheduled
The second phase of the Epic Games v. Google trial, to determine remedies, was scheduled for January 2024.
February 7, 2024: Disney's Investment in Epic Games
On February 7, 2024, Epic Games received a $1.5 billion investment from The Walt Disney Company, pending regulatory approval. Disney plans to acquire a 9% stake in Epic and co-develop new games and an 'entertainment universe' with Epic.
2024: Completion of Epic's New Headquarters
By 2024, Epic Games plans to complete the transformation of the Cary Towne Center into their new headquarters and campus in Cary, North Carolina.