How to shop for games at the Epic Games Store

 Thanks to the 88 to 12 percent profit sharing strategy, Epic Games Store has successfully hooked a number of developers to release their creations on the digital distribution platform and make exclusive deals. Generally, those who migrated to the team-made services behind Fortnite and Gears of War were independent studios, but some have built a reputation through special titles.

 Unlike Steam, for the time being Epic Games is directly involved in the curation process to ensure the products offered on their platform are quality titles. Epic Games had said that their digital shop was not designed to compete with Steam, but interestingly, the team looks nimble to ensure that consumers make transactions easy - including for gamers in Indonesia.

 After tweaking it a bit, it turns out that shopping for games on the Epic Games Store is quite easy. It's just that, for now the transaction methods are still limited. The good news is that Epic Games also provides an offline purchase method through minimarket outlets. Curious? Please follow the steps below:

1. The first thing you need to do is visit the Epic Games Store via a browser.

2. Look at the top right corner, you will find the Sign In button and 'Get Epic Games' in blue.

3. Please click the Sign In button, and you will be taken to the registration page. Registration can be done using your PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo, Facebook and Google+ accounts (closing soon). I myself chose to create a new account via the 'Sign Up' option below.

4. Next, select the country where you live, enter the requested data (name, email address, password), and don't forget to check the 'I have read and agree to the terms of service' checklist.

5. Open the email, and you will find the verification email. Please click on the link there. If it has not been sent, go to the account page after signing in, and resend the verification email.

6. Back on the main Epic Games Store page, click the 'Get Epic Games' button to get the Epic Games Launcher installer.

7. After this, purchases can be made via the Epic Games Store website in a browser or through the Epic Games Launcher application. If you choose the second method, let the app do the automatic update.

8. Find the game you want, for example Hades (early access) made by Supergiant Games. Click the price button in the product home section.

9. A new window will appear, containing the payment method options. Currently, there are options for transactions via PayPal, DOKU Wallet etc.

10. I will try to select purchases via Alfamart. You can check the notes checklist on the bottom left if you don't want to receive promotional emails from the developer / publisher. From here, just click Place Order.

One significant drawback of Epic Games Store compared to Steam is the price that has not been localized. The level of game prices depends on the rupiah exchange rate against the US dollar. Presented in rupiah, the price of games on Steam for users in Indonesia remains stable, does not fluctuate, in fact much cheaper than 'MSRP'.

At the Epic Games Store, you have to pay IDR 308 thousand for a game worth US $ 20. If you agree, click Continue.

11. Please go to the nearest Alfamart, Alfa Midi, Alfa Express, Lawson or DAN + DAN outlets; and tell the cashier you want to make a payment via XSOLLA. Instructions are available on the payment page if the cashier is confused.

12. Provide an existing payment code, for example '8888820300220754'. The cashier will confirm the name of the consumer, merchant and nominal. After the transaction, save the receipt.

13. The code will be sent via email, and all you have to do is enter the redeem code on the Epic Games Store account page.

14. Voilà, Hades (or whatever game you choose) is yours.

 I admit, the game choices on the Epic Games Store are still limited. But you can't find a number of games there on other distribution platforms, for example Hades, Ashen, or upcoming titles like Rebel Galaxy Outlaw, Genesis Alpha One and World War Z.And I'm sure with the 12/88 offer, there will be many developers are interested in joining.

 Besides promising to add to the game collection on its platform, Epic Games also plans to let users enjoy free games consistently. According to the revealed schedule, Subnautica can be played free of charge from December 14th to 27th. After that, it was Super Meat Boy's turn from December 28 to January 10, 2019.