Bandcamp acquired by ‘Fortnite’ creators Epic Games
Bandcamp is joining Epic Games, the makers of Fortnite and Unreal Engine. The platform will still operate as a standalone marketplace and music community. However, it will now work with Epic Games to expand internationally and develop its operations.
Epic Games will help Bandcamp develop everything from its album pages, payment system and search features to newer initiatives such as vinyl pressing and livestreaming services.
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Ethan Diamond, CEO and co-founder of Bandcamp, spoke about the partnership in a statement.
“Bandcamp’s mission is to help spread the healing power of music by building a community where artists thrive through the direct support of their fans. In Epic, we’ve found a partner who believes as deeply as we do that the future of music, and art itself, depends on the creation of equitable and inclusive communities like the one our fans and artists have helped to build. We’re excited to work alongside the Epic team to accelerate the realization of our mission and pursue our shared goal of empowering more creators in a fair and open way.”
Diamond also wrote in a blog post that he has heard from many companies asking Bandcamp to join them over the years. The reason Bandcamp went with Epic Games, he says, is because they “strongly believed in our mission, were aligned with our values and not only wanted to see Bandcamp continue, but also wanted to provide the resources to bring a lot more benefit to the artists, labels and fans who use the site.”
Steve Allison, vice president and general manager, store at Epic Games, also spoke about the acquisition.
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome the Bandcamp team to Epic Games. Bandcamp has built an incredible community and business where up-and-coming artists can succeed thanks to the direct support of their fans, with one of the best revenue models and terms in music. This aligns closely with Epic’s approach to supporting creators across all media and enabling them to connect directly with their fans.”
