Ooblets Developer Announces Timed Epic Game Store Exclusivity for PC
Still releasing on Xbox One at some point, too!
According to a recent blog post by the indie developers at Glumberland, the adorable life simulation game Ooblets will be a timed exclusive on PC through the Epic Game Store. This exclusivity ensures that the unbelievably tiny studio with only two developers will have more funding and time to fully realize their adorable vision without making the kinds of compromises which might have otherwise plagued their development.
In the blog post, the developers note that they are aware of the backlash facing others who have signed a similar exclusivity deal, and seeks to quash several complaints which potential players might be hurling at them due to their "controversial" contract decision. While the game still doesn't have any release timing, Glumberland says that "the investment we/re getting upfront from Epic will allow us to ramp up our development resources which will lead to faster development in the long run, but it might also delay our initial launch a tad because it takes some time to ramp things up and because we won't have as much financial pressure to prematurely shove something we're not happy with out the door."
Many fans have already responded in anger, but it's important to consider the benefits for the studio, which noted their concerns for even being able to continue development of the project, and ultimately the positive influence this deal might have on the final game. These are facts which we should all keep in mind when addressing something as trivial as having to play a game on a platform which has "fewer features." After all, developers are people — they need to eat, live, and pay bills, just as we all do.
Hopefully, fans waiting patiently to play on PC will still see Ooblets as a unique spin on the life simulation genre, complete with incredible art and unbelievably cute dance battles, which ought to be worth every penny required to sign up for an account on the free-to-download Epic Game Store.
The timed exclusivity through the Epic Game Store will only impact the PC release of Ooblets, with the game still slated to launch on Xbox One whenever the title is eventually released. For more on the game, be sure to check out Glumberland's official site.
