Epic Games is an American interactive entertainment company founded in 1991 by Tim Sweeney, initially named Potomac Computer Systems and based in his parents' house in Maryland. It rebranded as Epic MegaGames in 1992 and adopted the simpler Epic Games name in 1999 after moving its headquarters to Cary, North Carolina[1][3]. The company is renowned for developing the Unreal Engine, a powerful 3D game engine first released in 1995 that revolutionized real-time graphics in gaming and other immersive media. Unreal Engine has evolved through multiple iterations and is widely licensed by developers worldwide, powering many successful titles beyond Epic’s own games[1][2][3]. Epic’s early success came from games like *ZZT* (1991), a text-based adventure that launched Sweeney’s career, and the first-person shooter *Unreal* (1998), which showcased the capabilities of the Unreal Engine and sold 1.5 million units by 2002[1][2][5]. The company also produced notable franchises such as *Gears of War* and *Infinity Blade*. A pivotal shift occurred in the 2010s when Epic embraced the free-to-play games-as-a-service model, partly facilitated by a significant investment and 40% stake acquisition by Chinese tech giant Tencent in 2012. This capital and expertise allowed Epic to make Unreal Engine 4 free, launch the Unreal Marketplace, and reduce reliance on traditional publishers[2][3]. Epic’s major breakthrough came with the 2017 release of *Fortnite Battle Royale*, which became a global phenomenon, driving massive revenue, enabling esports events, and expanding Epic’s ecosystem with the Epic Games Store[3]. Today, Epic Games is valued at over $30 billion and owns multiple studios, including Psyonix and Mediatonic. It remains a major innovator in gaming technology, blending software development, digital distribution, and interactive entertainment to influence the future of gaming an