Epic Releases Group Chat Parties for Epic Store later this year

Epic is going to provide its game store with multiple social functions. Group chats will be available later this year, which will also allow users to talk to each other using audio. This so-called ‘Party System’ also makes it possible to share gameplay images with friends.

Epic describes the changes in a blog post about how the company sees “the future of social elements in the Epic Game Store.” A Party System will be available later this year in which players can set up groups. Within these groups, in addition to chat, they can also have audio conversations, both during and outside the game. It is also possible to share gameplay images with each other.

Groups do not have an administrator, so any player can join and leave the group. Part of the Party System are Active Party Windows. These are temporary time slots in which a party can come together to play together for, for example, a single match. During a party, users have joint control over other team members, during active party windows, players have that themselves. Parties do not have an individual administrator, so all players can join and leave the group at any time.

The new party system is coming sometime “later this year,” although Epic doesn’t give an exact release date. There will be a number of other changes to the Store later this month. For example, users can activate a Do Not Disturb mode where they will not receive notifications. Players will also become easier to find in the search engine in the future, and they will receive a ‘Player Card’ where a pop-up appears with information about a player, and options such as inviting them to the parties that come later.

Epic does remove the Whispers feature that allowed users to chat privately with each other. According to the company, it was rarely used. Epic hopes to be able to bring it back later, but is not sure about that.