Do we like them?

Do we like Epic Games?

Makes Fortnite and Unreal Engine and runs the Epic Games Store; based in Cary, North Carolina, USA.

Our score: 5 out of 10. Mixed. Epic has paid record fines over kids' privacy and sneaky billing. It has also taken on Apple and Google in court, and those fights have helped developers.

Epic began in 1991 as Potomac Computer Systems, run from Tim Sweeney's parents' house in Maryland. It's now a private company based in Cary, North Carolina. Sweeney is still the CEO and controlling shareholder. Tencent, Disney and Sony all hold minority stakes.

The big black mark is December 2022. The FTC said Epic collected kids' data without parental consent and left voice and text chat on by default. It also said Epic used 'dark patterns' to trick players into accidental purchases. Epic agreed to pay $275M and $245M, $520M in all.

Epic says it has since added self-service refunds and hold-to-purchase buttons. The FTC has sent players almost $200 million in refunds. In 2025 the FTC said it was reopening claims, and a Dutch consumer group announced a mass claim over Fortnite in September 2026. Epic denies those allegations.

Epic has also fought Apple and Google over app-store fees. Australia's Federal Court found both had anti-competitive conduct, and a US judge held Apple in contempt. Apple's request to pause that ruling was turned down by the Supreme Court in May 2026. Not every claim Epic made succeeded.

In March 2026 Epic announced it was cutting more than 1,000 jobs, about 20% of staff, after Fortnite engagement fell. Sweeney said the company was spending more than it earned. This followed about 830 cuts in 2023. US staff reportedly got at least four months' pay as severance. We give it a mixed 5.