Ubisoft’s press release even says, “Epic and Ubisoft will work to integrate key components of Ubisoft’s Uplay ecosystem and Epic’s online services to provide gamers from both ecosystems with more seamless social features and interoperability.” That’s a marriage Valve never would’ve allowed, and perhaps one Steam’s underlying tech couldn’t accomplish in the first place.
#EPIC GAMES DIVISION 2 CRACK#
Oof, similar to Metal Gear Survive? Maybe that low-key burn is the reason Ubisoft got mad at Valve.īut it seems likely that this is the first major crack in the wall, post-Epic Games Store announcement. As I write this, The Division 2 still has a Steam page, and that Steam page still says “This game will unlock in approximately 2 months.” Will it? Maybe. Like some other Epic Games Store exclusives (see: Ashen), it appears Valve hasn’t received the news yet. Ubisoft hasn’t come right out and said “We’re not releasing on Steam,” but…it pretty much did. There’s no mention of Steam, regarding either pre-orders or in that “upon launch” section.
#EPIC GAMES DIVISION 2 PC#
After January 9, PC players can pre-order The Division 2 on both the Ubisoft Store and the Epic Games store, and upon launch on March 15 PC players can purchase the game on both the Ubisoft Store and the Epic Games store.”Īgain, it’s a statement that’s not so much notable for its content as its omissions. “Prior to January 9, all pre-orders for The Division 2 have only been offered directly through the Ubisoft Store. Asked whether the game was coming to Steam, I received the following note: The second hint, if we can call it that, came from a clarification Ubisoft sent back to me. It’s also what I hypothesized Bethesda might do with Fallout 76, before a) the Epic Games Store was announced and b) Fallout 76 had its disastrous launch.
That’s the same tactic CD Projekt recently used with Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales, eventually releasing on Steam when GOG.com sales didn’t live up to expectations. At best, I’d say we’re in for a few months of Epic Games Store exclusivity, then Ubisoft takes a look at the sales and decides whether to bring it to Steam or not. First and foremost, Ubisoft’s silence on the matter. We hope this partnership helps to validate and evolve the model.” Ubisoft fully supports Epic and their third-party distribution model, which is in the long-term, beneficial for publishers both large and indie and the video games industry. It was a business decision to focus on Epic Store and Ubisoft Store for distribution of The Division 2 on PC. “Ubisoft has no plans on releasing the Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 on Steam. Update: Shortly after this article published, Ubisoft sent over the following statement confirming that The Division 2 won’t release on Steam: