We were expecting a barrage of Epic Games Store exclusivity announcements during Gamescom Opening Night Live but instead, we got just the one - Oddworld: Soulstorm, the second game in the planned Oddworld Quintology.

Some folks obviously have quite a large problem with the Epic Games Store, essentially wiping Oddworld: Soulstorm from their wishlists for the foreseeable future. For their part, the developer Oddworld Inhabitants has been perfectly honest with their statement on just why Soulstorm has become an EGS exclusive.

“I would like to address the entire Oddworld community. You have supported us and our artistic vision for years and we thank you,” wrote Lorne Lanning, president of Oddworld inhabitants.

“Oddworld: Soulstorm will be coming to PC via the Epic Games Store. The PC and console versions of the game will have a simultaneous release in 2020. What I would like to do is provide you with the reasoning that went into bringing the PC version of Soulstorm to the Epic Games Store as an exclusive because you deserve to know.

“We’ve been financing Soulstorm 100% ourselves. Soulstorm is our most ambitious game ever and we are committed to creating a great game that meets the highest level of quality. But to create the version of Soulstorm we want, and you deserve, we needed additional financial assistance.

“Epic supports our goal and commitment and is willing to help us achieve them by providing us with an advance on our PC sales, and we are incredibly grateful.”

It’s quite refreshing to see a developer spit out the truth and nothing but the truth. Epic came along with a pile of cash and it makes the most sense for the health of the business to take that windfall there and then.