Phoenix Point, the successor to XCOM made by series creator Julian Gollop and his team, is one of the most anticipated strategy games of the year - which is why a lot of gamers were distressed to find out that it had become an Epic Games Store exclusive. But will there be a Phoenix Point Steam or Phoenix Point GOG release?
Backers of Phoenix Point who crowdfunded the game on Fig were particularly concerned by the news, since many had backed it based on promises of a Steam or GOG version. Will Phoenix Point backers still get the game on Steam or GOG? That's another question we'll answer below.
Will Phoenix Point release on Steam or GOG?
The Phoenix Point release date is currently set for June 2019, and when that happens on PC it will be exclusively available on Epic Games Store. Up until this week, it had been confirmed for Steam and GOG. While the previous major game announcement for Epic exclusivity, Metro Exodus, honoured Steam pre-order customers by making a Steam version available too for them alone, that will not be happening with Phoenix Point. It will be on Epic Games Store alone.
However, developer Snapshot Games has confirmed that the Phoenix Point Epic Games Store exclusivity deal is for one year alone, and that a year after release - so June 2020 - Phoenix Point will come to both Steam and GOG.
But where does that leave Fig backers? Phoenix Point was crowdfunded with the assurance that it would be on both Steam and GOG. Will backers get their promised Phoenix Point Steam or GOG versions?
The answer is yes... eventually. Backers will get the promised key for a Steam or GOG version of the game, but only a year later, when Phoenix Point launches on those stores. In addition, backers will get an Epic Games Store key at launch in June this year, and all the DLC from the first year of release will be free - which includes at least three major DLC packs.
Is that enough? It won't be for many backers, which is why refunds are being made available too. Nevertheless, if you backed Phoenix Point, you absolutely will get a key for the game on Steam or GOG - you'll just have to wait a year, or play through Epic Games Store first.
