According to Engadget, Epic's new "Epic Parties" system lets users start a voice chat in the Epic app, carry it into Fortnite, and keep talking across different platforms and supported Epic services. When invited players join the party, they're automatically pulled into the same Fortnite lobby.
The company that owns where friends gather owns where they play and spend money. Right now, that's Discord for most gaming groups. Epic is trying to intercept that moment before players ever pick a game and before they jump to a rival platform.
The real test is whether third-party developers adopt Epic Parties across the Epic Games Store. If they do, this becomes platform infrastructure rather than just a Fortnite feature. That's the kind of lock-in that changes where entire friend groups play.
This is a fight over habit. Voice chat sounds small, but it's where game nights actually begin. Discord is still the obvious first choice for most groups. The runner-up choice gets stronger when the first choice adds friction, especially for friends split between console, mobile, and PC. Epic is betting that convenience beats loyalty.
Filed to the Technology desk · Sep 3