Epic Games is acquiring music platform Bandcamp

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

The independent music store is being acquired by the game company. The companies said that Bandcamp would continue to operate as a marketplace and music community, but would use the resources of the company to expand internationally.

An announcement from the co-founder and CEO of Bandcamp says that they will play an important role in the creation of the creator marketplace.

Diamond says that the two companies will work together to push development of merchandising and payment options, mobile apps, and livestreaming.

The creator of the Unreal game engine, and the publisher of the hit game, but it has made non-gaming acquisitions before with Houseparty. The company shut down Houseparty last year after acquiring it, and its team was folded into a larger push to expand their social features. Houseparty is an alternative to streaming platforms that offer less control and smaller revenue shares for most artists, but it has a much greater existing fanbase and clearer economic model.

It is described as a threat as it expands its gaming, but it is also committed to fair and open platforms. The acquisition of Bandcamp will give it a bigger foothold in the medium.