‘Fortnite’ publisher Epic Games acquires music platform Bandcamp

In recent years, Epic Games has cemented an influential footing in the music industry by hosting an array of in-game Fortnite concerts; J Balvin, Travis Scott, Kid Cudi, Anderson .Paak, Kaskade, Diplo, Young Thug, Marshmello, Dillon Francis, and deadmau5 have all graced the world-renowned video game’s virtual stage. Now, stepping even further into the music space, the software developer, founded in 1991, has officially acquired beloved music platform Bandcamp. Founded in 2008 by Oddpost co-founder Ethan Diamond, Bandcamp has always maintained an “artist-first revenue model,” committed to fostering “fair and open platforms.” The recent merger has not altered either company’s dedication to benefitting artists and creators. Diamond explained in a statement,

“I’m excited to announce that Bandcamp is joining Epic Games, who you may know as the makers of ‘Fortnite’ and ‘Unreal Engine,’ and champions for a fair and open Internet…[Bandcamp’s] products and services you depend on aren’t going anywhere, we’ll continue to build Bandcamp around our artists-first revenue model.”

Artists on Bandcamp net an average of “82% of every [record] sale,” a competitive figure compared to leading DSPs’ contentious pro-rata revenue models. Every Friday, Bandcamp waves its fees on music sales; Diamond noted that “Bandcamp Fridays will continue as planned.” The CEO then clarified what the Epic Games merger ultimately means for his community-driven music platform:

“We’re working with Epic to expand internationally and push development forward across Bandcamp, from basics like our album pages, mobile apps, merch tools, payment system, and search and discovery features, to newer initiatives like our vinyl pressing and live streaming services.”

Evidently, Diamond saw that Epic Games consciously aligns with Bandcamp’s agenda to build “a community where artists thrive through the direct support of their fans.” Read Ethan Diamond’s full statement on Epic Games’ acquisition of Bandcamp below.

Featured image: Billboard

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