Why did the Steam release announcement relieve Lords of the Fallen 2 fans?
What YouTube comments reveal about the end of the Epic Games Store exclusivity, backed by numbers.
The context
Revealed on August 20, 2025 during Gamescom Opening Night Live, Lords of the Fallen II was unveiled as an Epic Games Store exclusive on PC, following a June 2024 agreement between CI Games and Epic Games Publishing granting Epic exclusive worldwide distribution rights.
The exclusivity drew strong backlash from PC players, most of whom use Steam; in March and again in December 2025, CI Games CEO Marek Tyminski nonetheless defended the arrangement, calling Epic “an incredible partner” for the studio.
On April 14, 2026, CI Games signed a separation agreement with Epic Games Publishing ending the exclusivity; the deal was only made public on May 18-19, 2026, with CI Games saying the delay was meant to avoid harming its business interests. The studio thanked Epic for its past financial support while regaining “full open distribution rights” for the PC version.
At Summer Game Fest on June 5, 2026, a new trailer and the opening of store pages confirmed a simultaneous launch on Steam, Epic Games Store, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S for fall 2026; CI Games then announced on June 23, 2026 that the game was being pushed back to the first quarter of 2027 for additional polish.
Sources: CI Games Signs Separation Agreement with Epic Games, Regaining Open PC Distribution Rights for Lords of the Fallen II · Steam Players Rejoice As Lords Of The Fallen 2 Exclusivity Deal With Epic Games Store Goes In The Trash · Lords of the Fallen 2 is Out This Fall, Confirms Day One Steam Launch With New Trailer · Lords of the Fallen 2 Release Date Delayed
Factual background compiled from public sources — the debate analysis below relies exclusively on the comments.
How we got here
as told by the commentsThe game circulates for free via PS Plus while commenters note its absence from Steam, planting the first seeds of frustration.
Anger builds: several comments vow to boycott the game as long as it stays exclusive to the Epic Games Store, splitting the section between curious fans and opponents.
The announcement of a day-one Steam release triggers an immediate wave of wishlist adds and thank-you messages to the developers.
The new gameplay trailer confirms the shift: former critics of the exclusivity deal now announce a day-one preorder.
The exclusivity topic fades from the comments, replaced by questions about the release date and the game's technical performance.
Lords of the Fallen II
~18% of the discussion on this gameFor Lords of the Fallen 2, the controversy started with fears of an extended Epic Games Store exclusivity, before the day-one Steam release announcement triggered a wave of thanks and wishlist adds.
Cautious despite the reversal 35 %
Relieved by the Steam comeback 65 %
Frequently asked questions
- Why were fans angry about the Epic Games Store exclusivity for Lords of the Fallen 2?
- Comments describe frustration at not being able to wishlist or buy the game on Steam, with some threatening to boycott the title if the exclusivity deal stood.
- What changed with the June 2026 announcement?
- Comments confirm the game will launch day one on Steam, an announcement met with an immediate wave of wishlist adds and thanks to the developers.
- Did this reversal convince every fan?
- Not entirely: while most express genuine relief, some comments recall the first game's technical issues and question how much the platform change really matters.
- Have other games faced a similar Epic exclusivity controversy?
- The corpus cites Crimson Desert as a comparable case: criticized for its initial exclusivity, it reportedly went on to sell over 5 million copies according to commenters, a parallel used to put the controversy in perspective.