A spot of bad news for Steam users dropped today after it was revealed that Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 will be exclusive to the Epic Games Store and Ubisoft’s digital storefront on PC. In an email to Polygon, a Ubisoft representative confirmed the decision saying they “have no plans on releasing Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 on Steam.”
What’s more, Ubisoft announced plans to release other titles to the Epic Games Store in 2019.
The Division 2 Picks Epic Games Store Over Steam
© Ubisoft, Epic Games
Hammering the point home, Ubisoft’s Chris Early stated, “We entrust Epic to deliver a smooth journey for our fans, from preordering the game and enjoying our Beta to the launch of Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 on March 15.” He continued by explaining: “Epic continues to disrupt the video game industry, and their third-party digital distribution model is the latest example, and something Ubisoft wants to support.”
Ubisoft’s shift away from Steam isn’t exactly surprising, especially after Epic Games revealed their store offers a generous 88/12 revenue split with developers. Users can also get a free game every two weeks to encourage regular use. One of the first exclusives to release on the Epic Games Store was Hades from developer Supergiant.
In the past, we praised Hades for being one of the best Early Access titles we’ve played, and noted that it was one of the best titles available on the Epic Games Store at launch. It’s safe to say the more exclusives secured by the Epic Games Store, the more people will be inclined to use the platform over Steam.
For example, The Division 2 isn’t the only anticipated release to give Steam the cold shoulder as the final two episodes of Telltale’s The Walking Dead: The Final Season (as handled by Skybound) will be available on the Epic Games Store over Steam. What are your thoughts? Were you hoping The Division 2 would release on Steam, or are you happy Ubisoft has picked the Epic Games Store instead?
Let us know down in the comments below! Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 is scheduled to release on March 15 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via the Epic Games Store and Ubisoft digital store.
