CI Games has formally dissolved its publishing agreement with Epic Games, ending what was previously an Epic Games Store exclusivity arrangement for Lords of the Fallen II. An official document published on May 18 confirms the change took effect in April, with the announcement timing adjusted to avoid immediate market impact.
What the document actually says
The official filing makes clear that the end of the publishing deal does not represent a complete separation between the two companies. CI Games and Epic will continue working together on Unreal Engine licensing, Epic online services, and Epic account services. The document states that "each of these relationships will continue and remain governed by their respective separate agreements."
The split targets the storefront exclusivity component specifically, not the broader technical partnership.
A reversal from the CEO's own words
This marks a significant shift from CI Games founder and CEO Marek Tyminski, who publicly defended the Epic arrangement as recently as December 2025. On Twitter, he claimed that "the majority of PC players who want a specific game will buy it on Epic if it's exclusive there."
That argument was always questionable. Steam dominates the PC gaming market, and exclusivity deals have consistently generated player friction rather than loyalty. Whatever the internal calculus, the numbers evidently stopped working.
What this means for PC players
The practical benefit is clear. Without a storefront exclusivity agreement, Lords of the Fallen 2 can now launch simultaneously on Steam and other PC platforms. That opens access to Steam's review system, wishlist functionality, and a substantially larger potential player base from day one.
The original Lords of the Fallen, which launched in 2023, sold 2.5 million copies and only recently broke even after two and a half years. Reaching more players at launch carries real weight for a sequel trying to capitalize on that foundation.
Character build options
Broader context for Epic's storefront strategy
This move fits a broader pattern. Epic has had a rough stretch recently. Fortnite V-Bucks prices were raised in March to significant player backlash, and the company laid off over 1,000 employees during the same period. The Epic Games Store's exclusivity strategy was once its primary tool for pulling players away from Steam, but that approach has quietly wound down across multiple titles.
Losing a high-profile Soulslike sequel like Lords of the Fallen 2 from its exclusive lineup adds another data point to that trend.
What comes next
No release date for Lords of the Fallen 2 has been confirmed, and CI Games has not yet announced which storefronts will carry the game at launch. The dissolution of the Epic deal removes one constraint, but the actual platform lineup remains unannounced. For players tracking the sequel, the Lords of the Fallen II guide collection is worth bookmarking as more details emerge closer to release.
