Unfold Games, developer of DARQ, openly challenges the Epic Games Store's policy of launch exclusivity

[AnotherGills 25]

Unfold Games, developer of the recently released DARQ, had initially planned to release the title on Steam. During development, Unfold was approached by Epic Games, who wanted to make an exclusivity deal along with funding for the production. As DARQ was already listed on Steam for many months, Unfold elected to decline the deal. DARQ eventually launched on Steam, and DRM-free on GOG.com.

In the weeks that followed, Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games praised the success of DARQ and its sales numbers on Twitter.

In response, Unfold Games issued a challenge of sorts to Sweeney stating:

Quote

If you change your mind and accept DARQ to your store non-exclusively, I’ll donate 100% of my EGS revenue to a charity. If you accept, the charity can be picked by the gaming’s community at a later date.

Currently, neither Sweeney nor Epic Games have provided a response.

Do you think Epic Games will be willing to change their policy for this situation?

[Rose 268]

It's the definition of trolling.

[Luigi master89 12]

So wait, games cannot be released on EGS and Steam at the same time?  This sounds like something Yamauchi's Nintendo would've demanded; either their games are exclusive or they don't come over.

[TachiFoxy 1]

On 8/29/2019 at 4:27 AM, Luigi master89 said:

So wait, games cannot be released on EGS and Steam at the same time?  This sounds like something Yamauchi's Nintendo would've demanded; either their games are exclusive or they don't come over.

Actually, they can, because Cyberpunk 2077 can be pre-ordered on EGS with CDPR saying they want to make it available on as many storefronts as possible. This does mean that Cyberpunk 2077 is currently available almost everywhere; GOG, Steam, EGS for instance.

The problem is that the DARQ-developer, Unfold Games, also mentions that it's weird how such a hotly anticipated title can "simship" (simultaneous shipping; releasing at the same time) on EGS as well as other platforms just fine while Epic, after expressly going "Oh, you made a Steam store page. Come to us exclusively or don't come at all", deny this to other developers based on "careful curation" and "current plans".

I'm not buying their reasoning for it. It seems more like Epic just want to buy up small, good-looking projects with a planned release on Steam to expand their own store quick while preventing any small development studio from exposing sales-numbers. Sales-numbers would hold tremendous value if Epic ever agreed to a "simship" of a title like DARQ. With games like Cyberpunk 2077 they just accept the fact that:
- Either it happens anyway, or
- CDPR acts, like Epic expects, professionally to not reveal such numbers.

Epic are more than likely afraid to have a comparable set of sales-numbers held against the EGS while they still throw around Fortnite-money.

[Luigi master89 12]

That makes plenty of sense actually, thanks for clearing that up.

[Aemony 141]

On 8/30/2019 at 5:46 PM, TachiFoxy said:

The problem is that the DARQ-developer, Unfold Games, also mentions that it's weird how such a hotly anticipated title can "simship" (simultaneous shipping; releasing at the same time) on EGS as well as other platforms just fine while Epic, after expressly going "Oh, you made a Steam store page. Come to us exclusively or don't come at all", deny this to other developers based on "careful curation" and "current plans".

It's pretty simple, in a way: They're doing whatever they can to further build their brand and platform.

Allowing triple-A titles to simultaneous ship on their platform and others is part of that. As is ensuring timed exclusivity of anticipated or seemingly well-developed indie titles.