Epic releasing cross-platform game service built for Fortnite free to all developers

Epic Games will release a suite of cross-platform games services free for all developers.

Epic announced today a new, free service which will support cross-platform play across all seven major platforms "to the full extent each platform allows per-title."

According to the announcement, throughout 2019 the company will provide a large set of cross-platform game services originally built for Fortnite across all platforms. The services will be free for all developers, open to all engines, all platforms, and all stores.

"For example, Fortnite runs on seven platforms that are fully interoperable," reads the announcement.

"The game requires no login on console, and supports multi-platform login via Facebook, Google, Xbox Live, PSN, and Nintendo accounts, in addition to Epic accounts; and supports Twitch account linking."

Basically, the services being offered would make it easier to bring cross-platform support to games and all devices.

The majority of the features will arrive in Q3 2019, but the cross-platform login, friends, profile, and entitlements feature could go live as soon as Q2 2019.

Here's the roadmap posted by Epic:

• Cross-Platform Login, Friends, Presence, Profile, and Entitlements (coming Q2-Q3 2019 to PC, other platforms throughout 2019): Provides the core functionality for persistently recognizing players across multiple sessions and devices; identifying friends; and managing free and paid item entitlements. This will support all 7 major platforms (PC, Mac, iOS, Android, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch) to the full extent each platform allows per-title.
• PC/Mac Overlay API (coming Q3 2019): Provides a user interface for login, friends, and other features in a game-agnostic, engine-agnostic way.
• Cross-Platform Voice Comms (coming Q3 2019 to all platforms): Epic is building a new in-game voice communications service supporting all platforms, all stores, and all engines, which will be available for free. (For developers needing an immediately-available voice solution, check out Discord, Vivox, TeamSpeak, Ventrilo, and Mumble.)
• Cross-Platform Parties and Matchmaking (coming Q3-4 2019 to all platforms)
• Cross-Platform Data Storage, Cloud-Saved Games (coming Q2 2019)
• Cross-Platform Achievements and Trophies (coming Q3 2019)

Developers will also be free to choose mix-and-match solutions from both Epic and others and operated in a "privacy-friendly, GDPR-compliant manner.

And this is just the start, apparently as the company is also "working on further support for user-generated content, enhanced social features, anti-cheat, and more."