When thinking of major video game companies in the modern day, virtually no one thinks of the internet music platform Bandcamp. The service it provides has become a popular hotspot for indie game composers like Danny Baranowski and Lena Raine to post their acclaimed soundtracks. However, outside of that and some game soundtracks, there’s very little overlap with gaming. But it seems that as the Great Video Game Acquisition Wars of the 2020s continue, gaming companies will even see services like Bandcamp as potentially beneficial to their bottom line. Just today, Bandcamp CEO Ethan Diamond announced that Fortnite developer Epic Games, of all companies, has acquired his popular music business.
According to Diamond, this latest acquisition will not get in the way of Bandcamp’s independence. It will continue to provide the services that put it on the map to begin with. This means that all artists who use these services will still maintain control over their music distribution, and events such as the Bandcamp Fridays will continue unabated.
Why did Bandcamp join?
Diamond stated that Bandcamp chose to work with Epic Games mainly “to expand internationally.” In addition, the company wants to further develop various aspects of its business, such as its mobile apps, payment system, and live streaming services. Diamond wrote that he felt comfortable working with other companies, but only if they strongly supported Bandcamp’s primary goal of “building a community where artists thrive through the direct support of their fans.” Apparently, Epic was willing to support this mission and give Bandcamp the resources necessary to vastly improve its services.
This latest merger between Epic Games and Bandcamp seems quite bizarre, to say the least. Diamond’s glowing endorsement of Epic Games does little to change this. But as long as Epic Games allows Bandcamp to remain independent like Diamond suggests it will, then the acquisition will likely serve as a net positive for both companies.
