Upload Digital Extras

You can distribute digital extras, such as artbooks and soundtracks, on the Epic Games Store. However, the process for uploading them using the BuildPatch Tool varies from typical applications.

While digital extras may not be launchable like a standard application, the Epic Games launcher still expects something to open when a user selects an item in their library. For an optimal user experience, you can implement a workflow that enables the launcher to open the installation area for your digital extras when a user accesses the item in their library.

This guide outlines the process for uploading digital extras for Windows and MacOS, as well as how to properly test your builds to confirm they are working as expected.

Before you can upload your digital extra, first create an offer for that item by selecting Digital Extra as the offer type during creation. Once the offer has been created, an artifact for that offer is automatically generated.

This step is required, as this guide provides steps for uploading your digital extra to that artifact. To learn more about creating offers, review Manage Offers.

To achieve the desired behavior for digital extras on Windows, you will leverage a batch (.bat) file that serves as the AppLaunch variable in the BuildPatch Tool.

When a user clicks on the respective item in their library, the launcher runs the .bat file and opens the installation directory for the digital extra.

To create the .bat file, follow the steps below:

1. Open your preferred text editor.
2. Enter the following:

3. Save the file as digitalextras.bat and place it in the root directory of your digital extras build.

Once you have created your digitalextras.bat file, you can upload your digital extras build using the BuildPatch Tool.

The process for uploading digital extras is similar to uploading applications with a few key differences. To successfully upload a digital extra, ensure you provide the following information:

• Set the AppLaunch parameter to your digitalextras.bat file.
• Use the artifact ID of the digital extra instead of your base game’s artifact ID.

These configurations enable the batch file to run when a user selects the digital extra in their library, which opens the installation directory containing the appropriate content.

To learn more about using the BuildPatch Tool, review BuildPatch Tool Instructions.

To achieve the desired behavior for digital extras on MacOS, you will leverage a combination of command (.command) and shell script (.sh) files.

The command file serves as the AppLaunch variable in the BuildPatch Tool. When a user clicks on the digital extra in their library, the launcher runs the command file, which in turn runs the shell script file. The shell script file then opens the installation directory for the digital extra.

To create the .command file, follow the steps below:

1. Open your preferred text editor.
2. Enter the following:

3. Save the file as digitalextras.command and place it in the root directory of your digital extras build.

Note: Ensure the command file has Unix line endings. This can be done by opening the file in Vim and first running :set ff=unix, followed by :wq.

To create the .sh file, follow the steps below:

1. Open your preferred text editor.
2. Enter the following:

3. Save the file as digitalextras.sh and place it in the root directory of your digital extras build.

Note: Ensure the command file has Unix line endings. This can be done by opening the file in Vim and first running :set ff=unix, followed by :wq.

Once you have created your digitalextras.command and digitalextras.sh files, you can upload your digital extras build using the BuildPatch Tool.

The process for uploading digital extras is similar to uploading applications with a few key differences. To successfully upload a digital extra, ensure you provide the following information:

• Set the AppLaunch parameter to your digitalextras.command file.
• Use the artifact ID of the digital extra instead of your base game’s artifact ID.

With this configuration, the command file runs when a user selects the digital extras in their library. The shell script file then runs and opens the installation directory containing the appropriate content.

To learn more about using the BuildPatch Tool, review BuildPatch Tool Instructions.

Complete the test case below to ensure your digital extras have been successfully implemented.

To get started, first redeem a key that grants access to the relevant offer for your digital extras:

• If you are using the self-service Epic Games Store publishing tools, generate and redeem a Testing Key in the Dev Portal. To learn more, review Access Keys.
• If you are using an alternate method of distribution, redeem one of the Dev Keys that your Service Delivery contact has generated for you.

After redeeming the appropriate key, follow the steps below:

1. Open the Epic Games launcher.
2. Navigate to your Library.
3. Install your digital extras.
4. Launch the digital extras by clicking the Library item. The installation folder for the digital extras should then open.

If the installation folder does not successfully open, refer to the table below.