Sega have announced the release date of Total War: Troy, that the game is going to be an Epic Games Store exclusive for a year, and free for 24-hours on launch.
The announcement states that the game will not only be an exclusive on the Epic Games Store for 12 months, but that it will also be free if purchased within 24-hours of launch.
The reasons behind the exclusivity were also explained.
“We’re really excited about TROY, and we’re even more excited that this will give more of you the chance to play and enjoy it than might have had it otherwise. While we know that some of you won’t like the Epic Games Store exclusivity, we feel like this is a great opportunity for us in a lot of ways, and we’re hoping that you’ll take some time to hear us out and for us to answer what some of the questions we think you might have.
First of all: this is an opportunity for TROY specifically, and we have no plans for future games to be Epic exclusives. As developers we truly value our existing fans, but at the same time we want to reach new audiences and have as many people as possible experiencing the thrill of Total War for themselves. As a business that means putting Total War onto new platforms so that it can reach more players. This is part of that and in principal we’d like future Total War titles to be simultaneously available, from launch day, on as many store fronts as possible.
Right now, this is a one-time, one-year exclusive deal for TROY. We’ve always said that Saga titles allow us to experiment, and this is an experiment on a grand scale. TROY seemed like a good game to try this out with, especially as pre-orders aren’t live on Steam yet, so no one’s already put money into a store they’ll have to wait 12 extra months for it to appear on.”
When Epic approached the team, the decision was difficult. It came down to two factors- the desire “to invest more into the ongoing development of Total War,” and the game being free during Total War‘s 20th anniversary. Even so, the announcement explains that the team want to get their games on as many stores as possible.
“As mentioned, and like others in the industry, a key reason for exploring other digital stores is that we don’t want to be limited just to Steam. We also want to diversify our business. In fact, we want to get our games onto as many stores as possible. Long term, we want to expand where players find Total War. This deal gives us a great way to try out other platforms, such as Epic – to see what works for us and what doesn’t. It allows us to get a feel for the development required to expand to other platforms, and it’s relatively risk-free for you, too, as the game’s available for free when claimed in the first 24 hours.
This opportunity allows expansive back-end infrastructure development that will allow us to expand into multiple stores. That means we can have more resources, push ourselves further, be more creative, make more Total War. We’re always looking to evolve and improve on our games and this deal gives us a lot of ways to do that – as we said, fresh perspectives, money that we’ll be putting back into the studio, new ways to expand.
You might not immediately see a big change, but we’re confident you will over time – and we guarantee there are a lot of things behind the scenes being made possible due to this, which we wouldn’t otherwise have the chance to do. Some of this is long-term – but there are short-term benefits to you, as well as us.”
You can find the official trailer below.
You can find the full rundown (via the Epic Games Store) below.
DIVE INTO GREEK MYTH
Inspired by The Iliad – Homer’s sweeping tale of romance and bloodshed – A Total War Saga: TROY focuses on the historical flashpoint of the Trojan War, bringing the conflict to life as never before.
EXPERIENCE THE TROJAN WAR
TROY explores this legendary conflict from both the Greek and Trojan perspectives, peeling back the layers of myth and legend to reveal the realities that may have inspired them.
CHOOSE YOUR HERO
Fight to save or conquer the kingdom of Troy as one of eight iconic heroes, including the infamous warrior Achilles, noble protector Hector, wayward prince Paris and vengeful king Menelaus.
BUILD A BRONZE AGE EMPIRE
Through Total War’s blend of grand, turn-based empire management and spectacular real-time battles, your actions can turn the tide of the war. Build your empire through strategy, statecraft, diplomacy and all-out war, as you conquer this vast and striking recreation of the Bronze Age Mediterranean.
FIGHT ALONGSIDE MYTHIC UNITS
Inspired by the famed creatures of Greek myth, you can call mythic units to your aid in the heat of battle, including fighters that resemble the Minotaur, the Cyclops, Giants and Centaurs.
Total War: Troy launches August 13th on Windows PC (via the Epic Games Store, and Steam in 2021).
Image: Epic Games Store
