Metro games to continue on PC despite any Epic Store boycott

The Metro series will continue and will continue on PC, publishers Deep Silver have insisted. Last week, a frustrated member of developers 4A Games had suggested on a forum that if PC peeps boycotted Metro Exodus over it becoming an Epic Games Store exclusive, then future games would skip PC. Naw, Deep Silver say, don't sweat it. They also stress that they made the decision to switch to Epic exclusivity, not 4A Games, so don't rag on 4A for it.

The 4A Games fella had responded to anti-Expicodus backlash in a post (in Russian) on the Gameinator forums on Thursday. Along with expressing frustration that people might pass over their hard work because of the store it uses, he said that it might have big consequences for the series. Should PC peeps boycott Exodus, he said, then the hypothetical next Metro game would definitely skip PC and only hit consoles.

It was clearly an overly-candid personal opinion but got picked up and passed around this here kettle of hellwhispers we call the Internet, prompting Deep Silver to address his post.

"The recent comments made by a member of the 4A Games development team do not reflect Deep Silver's or 4A Games' view on the future of the franchise," Deep Silver and parent body Koch Media (who are all owned by THQ Nordic) said in a statement yesterday. "They do reflect the hurt and disappointment of a passionate individual who has seen what was previously nothing but positive goodwill towards his work turn to controversy due to a business decision he had no control over. We respectfully ask that any and all valid feedback over this decision is directed at Koch Media / Deep Silver, and not the developers at 4A Games."

4A Games are 'only' the developers, see, with Deep Silver providing funding and making the big business decisions.

Even THQ Nordic's publishing office (not to be confused with the THQ Nordic head office) don't seem to agree with their autonomous corporate siblings and made clear on Twitter last Tuesday that the decision was nothing to do with them. While they said they couldn't categorically rule out ever doing timed exclusives in the future, for now "we definitely want to have the players choose the platform of their liking and make our portfolio available to as many outlets as possible."

Deep Silver and Koch Media say their Epic deal was for the good of the future of the Metro series, and it will have a future.

"Our decision to partner with Epic Games was based on the goal of investing in the future of the series and our development partner at 4A Games. We have every intention of continuing this franchise, and a PC version will always be at the heart of our plans."

Valve declared the game's sudden shift off Steam "unfair to customers" (I think they meant to themselves too), while our John has said this is the wrong way for Epic to try to compete with Steam.

Metro Exodus launches February 15th on the Epic Games Store. While Deep Silver said that Epic taking a smaller cut than Steam would let them pass the savings onto us and reduce the game's price, they only cut the price for folks in the US. For many people in places where Epic haven't yet set up regional pricing, the game actually costs more now it's off Steam.