When comparing Epic Games Store vs Desura, the Slant community recommends Epic Games Store for most people. In the question“What are the best online stores to purchase PC games cheaply?” Epic Games Store is ranked 12th while Desura is ranked 15th. The most important reason people chose Epic Games Store is:
They give out free games sometimes.
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Free games
They give out free games sometimes.
Pro Better revenue cut for publishers and developers
Epic gives a better revenue cut for publishers and developers than GOG and Steam other than a few specific games.
Note: As of writing this pro it's 12%.
Pro The only games some purchase on Epic are the free games they give away
Pro Strong Linux presence
Linux support is a core feature of Desura. All games in the storefront are tagged as to whether or not they will run on Linux.
Pro Alphafunding permits sale of works in progress
Desura calls their early access program "Alphafunding." Games must show a minimum level of development, and must show active development or risk being removed.
Pro Indie Royale bundles can boost sales
Indie Royale is a joint venture of Desura and IndieGames.com which sells bundles of games on a pay-what-you-want basis (but with a minimum price). Most games sold via Indie Royale bundle are Desura titles.
Cons
Con Windows only
Epic Games intentionally refuse to support other that Windows operating systems and make game developers drop existing support of other OS.
Con New platform
It's a relatively new platform, so it is more likely to fail.
Con Sluggish
The Epic games store feels super slow compared to Steam or GOG, but a little better than the Microsoft Store.
Con False advertising
Epic uses other platforms to sell a game, getting free advertisement and pre-orders then switching to epic exclusive, essentially engaging in false advertising.