Core, the platform that hopes to help creators build games and players experience them, is launching for free in early access today. It’s available exclusively on the Epic Games Store and already includes over 20,000 free playable games across a wide variety of genres including team-based multiplayer shooters, RPGs, and side-scrollers. Core’s developer, Manticore Games, says that over a million players and creators have used the platform while it’s been in alpha over the past year.
The aim with Core is to make it easier for creators to develop and monetize games, similar to what YouTube did for online video, while gamers get “an endless arcade of high-quality, user-built games and worlds.” The platform’s development tools are built on top of Epic’s Unreal Engine, and it offers premade assets that users can customize, as well as drop-down tools to build games. Custom avatars can work across different experiences, and these can be linked with in-game portals.
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Core’s attempt to make game development easier and more approachable is similar to Media Molecule’s Dreams on PS4. However, Manticore Games is attempting to distinguish itself by letting creators monetize their games via its Perks system, which launched last December. Creators have different options for how to monetize their games, ranging from in-game cosmetic purchases to full-on monthly subscriptions, Manticore Games says, and it’s offering a revenue share of 50 percent with creators.
To coincide with the launch today, Geoff Keighley is hosting the Core Games Showcase, which will feature appearances from Core’s biggest games and creators. The show kicks off at 1PM ET on Twitch and YouTube.
