Epic Games Purchases Rocket League Creator Psyonix, May be Sold as Epic Games Store Exclusive Late 2019

[Raevenlord]

Update: A clarification was sent out earlier today where Epic said that they won't stop supporting Rocket League on Steam, as they never could actually do, since legions of players that had already purchased the game on that platform would pick up their pitchforks with a vengeance. However, wording on Epic's clarification leaves much to be desired, and seemingly confirms that the game will not be available on Steam:

"The PC version of Rocket League will come to the Epic Games store in late 2019. In the meantime, it will continue to be available for purchase on Steam; thereafter it will continue to be supported on Steam for all existing purchasers. (...) "Rocket League remains available for new purchasers on Steam, and long-term plans will be announced in the future."

Epic Games has announced the acquisition of Rocket League developer Psyonix, which created one of the most addictive non/Battle Royale game of recent times. The move by Epic will see the games- introduction to the Epic Games Store, with platform exclusivity confirmed for late 2019 / which means that anyone looking to purchase the game on a PC/centric digital storefront will have to go to Epic's, since Steam will be leaving the vendor equation.





This move by Epic Games doesn't seem to fit very well with recent comments from its CEO, Tim Sweeney, who said that Epic is only acquiring exclusivity rights as a way to bring Steam towards developer revenue parity with their platform. Of course, that might be true, but the argument loses some strength when your company starts to buy smaller PC games developers and removing their games from the competing platform's offerings. Check parts of the press release after the break, alongside Tim Sweeney's remarks.

In the short term, nothing will change at all! We're still committed to providing Rocket League with frequent updates that have new features, new content, and new ways to play the game for as long as you'll have us. In the long-term, we expect to bring Rocket League to the Epic Games store and to leverage our new relationship to grow the game in ways we couldn't do on our own before. We believe that bringing Rocket League to new audiences with more support is a win for everybody.

Psyonix

Tim Sweeney, CEO at Epic Games, added:

Psyonix has always been a part of the Epic family, and we're happy to make it official. We have great respect for how Psyonix has built an excellent team and an incredible community around Rocket League.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[rtwjunkie]

Actually, a clarification was issued today:

https://www.usgamer.net/articles/ep...orms-no-announced-plans-to-pull-it-from-steam

‘We reached out to Epic Games and Psyonix who have offered this clarification: "We are continuing to sell Rocket League on Steam, and have not announced plans to stop selling the game there." An Epic spokesperson added, "Rocket League remains available for new purchasers on Steam, and long-term plans will be announced in the future."

Furthermore, Epic clarified that support for Rocket League on Steam will continue even after the game is released on the Epic Games Store and players "will still be able to play Rocket League on Steam with all of the content they've previously purchased, same as always." ‘

Posted this merely to make sure the full story is updated.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

OP doesn't make sense, that clarification does. I doubt "exclusivity" is even in play here. Psyonix got bought out...that's a huge cash infusion by itself.

Epic Games may choose to take down Steam's store page for the game in time but that's as far as it goes.

 

[oxidized]

Actually, a clarification was issued today:

https://www.usgamer.net/articles/ep...orms-no-announced-plans-to-pull-it-from-steam

‘We reached out to Epic Games and Psyonix who have offered this clarification: "We are continuing to sell Rocket League on Steam, and have not announced plans to stop selling the game there." An Epic spokesperson added, "Rocket League remains available for new purchasers on Steam, and long-term plans will be announced in the future."

Furthermore, Epic clarified that support for Rocket League on Steam will continue even after the game is released on the Epic Games Store and players "will still be able to play Rocket League on Steam with all of the content they've previously purchased, same as always." ‘

Posted this merely to make sure the full story is updated.

Thanks for this, i actually thought they were going to remove the store page from steam at some point, good to know, but i don't think i'll reinstall or play the game ever again, i just don't want to support Epic.

 

[Raevenlord]

Actually, a clarification was issued today:

https://www.usgamer.net/articles/ep...orms-no-announced-plans-to-pull-it-from-steam

‘We reached out to Epic Games and Psyonix who have offered this clarification: "We are continuing to sell Rocket League on Steam, and have not announced plans to stop selling the game there." An Epic spokesperson added, "Rocket League remains available for new purchasers on Steam, and long-term plans will be announced in the future."

Furthermore, Epic clarified that support for Rocket League on Steam will continue even after the game is released on the Epic Games Store and players "will still be able to play Rocket League on Steam with all of the content they've previously purchased, same as always." ‘

Posted this merely to make sure the full story is updated.

Thanks for your post, updated the story. Although I maintain my original assessment; the wording on Epic's clarification is more than vague. They just say they havem't announced that the game won't be sold on Steam, not that it will never cease to be sold there; and said that long-term plans are still being laid-out. besides, saying that the game will be supported on Steam after it is launched on the Epic games store really does smell like "support only, no new sales".

 

[Deleted member 158293]

Fantastic decision by Psyonix!



Yes /sarcastic

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Thanks for this, i actually thought they were going to remove the store page from steam at some point, good to know, but i don't think i'll reinstall or play the game ever again, i just don't want to support Epic.

They probably are. Epic Games doesn't want to give money to Steam just like EA doesn't. It's just not happening now and people with the game on Steam already will continue to get updates for it.

Bare in mind that a lot of games have been removed from Steam for one reason or another. One example that jumps into my mind is Deadpool (license only lasted 4 years).

 

[NdMk2o1o]

and long-term plans will be announced in the future

Yes, so 6 months down the line it will be pulled from Steam, sorry but there "clarification" is vague at best and knowing Epic, this is exactly what will happen.

They probably are. Epic Games doesn't want to give money to Steam just like EA doesn't. It's just not happening now and people with the game on Steam already will continue to get updates for it.

Bare in mind that a lot of games have been removed from Steam for one reason or another. One example that jumps into my mind is Deadpool (license only lasted 4 years).

Apparently all digital copies of that have been removed not just steam, odd decision in my book and probably why I didn't even know it existed...

 

[rtwjunkie]

Apparently all digital copies of that have been removed not just steam, odd decision in my book and probably why I didn't even know it existed.

Deadpool was actually a pretty good game, still have my copy. Apparently it was high licensing fees on the character why it was limited.

Yes, so 6 months down the line it will be pulled from Steam, sorry but there "clarification" is vague at best and knowing Epic, this is exactly what will happen.

Can’t really comment, because I don’t know. I merely provided their somewhat unclear clarification which for now at least, does not remove the game sales from Steam.

 

[moproblems99]

I am pretty sure RL will be married to Steam for a while. So much of that game is built around the Steam system. It won't be anytime soon before that is ported over to EGS.

 

[Mistral]

Them Tencent CCP money go far...

 

[oxidized]

They probably are. Epic Games doesn't want to give money to Steam just like EA doesn't. It's just not happening now and people with the game on Steam already will continue to get updates for it.

Bare in mind that a lot of games have been removed from Steam for one reason or another. One example that jumps into my mind is Deadpool (license only lasted 4 years).

Alan wake was removed too iirc, anyway i won't support epic in anyway. Unless they change completely their policy and their practices, and basically build from the ground up their store.

 

[moproblems99]

and basically build from the ground up their store

Honestly confused, isn't that what they are doing?

 

[Basard]

Well, hopefully I can make lvl 200 before Epic ruins it. Just made 198!

I am pretty sure RL will be married to Steam for a while. So much of that game is built around the Steam system. It won't be anytime soon before that is ported over to EGS.

I hope Steam sucks that 30% hard from Epic, lol... I might even buy a second copy, just to rub it in Epic's face. (I probably won't)

 

[oxidized]

Honestly confused, isn't that what they are doing?

What i mean is Rebuild, meaning they have to start from scratch and make something that comes close to steam.

 

[Upgrayedd]

I hope Steam sucks that 30% hard from Epic, lol... I might even buy a second copy, just to rub it in Epic's face. (I probably won't)

Pretty sure Rocket League has enough sales on steam to take more than 70%. The game is built on UE3 so portions of money that went to the game before the takeover still went to Epic for the use of UE3.
Since Psyonix is now 100% owned by Epic wouldn't you just be rubbing money in Epic's face?

I actually like the takeover. The game has been going no where for a while. They added Rocket Pass but mtx isn't content.

 

[64K]

Alan wake was removed too iirc, anyway i won't support epic in anyway. Unless they change completely their policy and their practices, and basically build from the ground up their store.

Alan Wake was pulled because of music licensing issues but that got sorted out and it's back on Steam.

 

[TheDeeGee]

Alan Wake was pulled because of music licensing issues but that got sorted out and it's back on Steam.

Plenty of games got removed from Steam throughout the years.

Alice Madness Returns, because Spicy Horse is no more. EA has it on Origin now.

Wolfenstein (2009) was removed due rights issues, and can't even be bought anywhere anymore as a digital download. If you really want to own it legally, you have to spend 70 bucks for a shady Ebay copy.

Moving clients is far less of an issue than not being able to get a game at all.

 

[oxidized]

Alan Wake was pulled because of music licensing issues but that got sorted out and it's back on Steam.

Yeah i remember something about music license, but never checked to see it was actually back on steam.

 

[64K]

Plenty of games got removed from Steam throughout the years.

Alice Madness Returns, because Spicy Horse is no more. EA has it on Origin now.

Wolfenstein (2009) was removed due rights issues, and can't even be bought anywhere anymore as a digital download. If you really want to own it legally, you have to spend 70 bucks for a shady Ebay copy.

Moving clients is far less of an issue than not being able to get a game at all.

Thanks for the tip about Alice: Madness Returns. I added it to my check for sales list to buy. I missed it completely when it was on Steam.

It's a shame about Wolfenstein 2009 being in limbo as well. It wasn't a great game but I enjoyed it. From what I understand Bethesda owns the rights to it but they don't want it to be a part of the Wolfenstein Story so it's not for sale on digital stores or in boxed games anymore.

 

[rtwjunkie]

Thanks for the tip about Alice: Madness Returns. I added it to my check for sales list to buy. I missed it completely when it was on Steam.

It's a shame about Wolfenstein 2009 being in limbo as well. It wasn't a great game but I enjoyed it. From what I understand Bethesda owns the rights to it but they don't want it to be a part of the Wolfenstein Story so it's not for sale on digital stores or in boxed games anymore.

I was lucky and found an unopened physical copy on Amazon Marketplace for $45 3 years ago. I tried up until last week when I finally got it to install on my W8.1 machine by MS providing the instructions to turn off the disc drm protection mode.

It was one of those games I just HAD to have and install because it is so rare. I’ve played a few hours so far. Nothing great like the recent ones or RTCW, but not bad either.

 

[vega22]

2700 negative reviews have been left on steam by salty owners in the first 24 hours after this news broke.

Then people wonder why some argue against steam...

At least their new system flags them as being for a none game related reason. Good job valve.