Crusader Kings 2 developer and publisher Paradox Interactive’s CEO has a positive attitude towards the Epic Games Store and next-gen consoles.
Over the next year or two, competition in both the PC and console gaming markets is about to get a lot more ferocious. When it comes to consoles, some are saying Google may enter the fray, Microsoft and Sony seem to be working on whatever consoles are coming next, and Nintendo continues to see extraordinary success with Nintendo Switch. I’m not even mentioning the smaller upcoming consoles like the Intellivision Amico and Atari VCS here.
On the PC side of things, the Epic Games Store is really starting to give Steam a run for its money with some strong exclusives. In fact, the store added Focus Home Interactive’s Vampyr and Klei Entertainment’s Oxygen Not Included today, though neither are exclusive. While the fact that PC and console gaming markets will only get more divisive in the future may worry some game publishers, Ebba Ljungerud, the CEO of grand strategy game developer and publisher Paradox Interactive, seems to have a more optimistic view on things.
She revealed her, and in turn the company’s, stance that next-gen consoles and the Epic Games Store are “positive developments” in Paradox Interactive’s 2018 Year-End Financial Report. “For the gaming industry as a whole, 2019 looks to be a year characterized by growing competition in the distribution market,” Ebba stated. “Several strong players have recently announced their plans to challenge Steam’s dominance in the PC market, while the console platforms are starting to prepare for the shift to the next hardware generation.”
After highlighting both of these markets, she delved into why the competition could be considered a positive thing. “For us, these are positive developments. We own a strong portfolio of popular games and well-known brands, content that is very attractive to anyone attempting to enter the distribution market,” she said. “Our strategy continues to focus on broad cooperation with all leading distributors, both in the PC and the console space.”
It is worth noting that Paradox Interactive does not have any titles on the Epic Games Store at this time. That being said, it is expanding its reach in the console market with games like Cities: Skylines, Surviving Mars, and the upcoming Stellaris: Console Edition and Age of Wonders: Planetfall. Overall, Ebba stressed that these comments meant that Paradox is “dedicated to building our own ecosystem of players” across all available distributors and platforms.
If Paradox Interactive announces any new console or Epic Games Store titles, you can be sure that DualShockers will let you know. In the foreseeable future, Paradox Interactive fans can look forward to the release of Stellaris: Console Edition on February 26, Imperator: Rome on April 25, and Age of Wonders: Planetfall on August 6. You can watch a Twitch stream where Ebba goes over the company’s 2018 report below.
Watch [Business] Paradox Interactive 2018 Year End Report from ParadoxInteractive on www.twitch.tv
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