Epic Games Acquires Rocket League Maker Psyonix
Epic Games buys the studio behind Rocket League to bolster its growing digital storefront. The acquisition brings a massive player base to Epic as it battles industry giant Valve.
Epic Games acquires Psyonix, the San Diego-based studio behind the massively popular soccer-with-cars game Rocket League. The deal brings 132 employees into the Epic fold and adds another massive cross-platform hit to a portfolio that already includes the global phenomenon Fortnite. This move stands as one of the most significant acquisitions in Epic's history.
The most immediate impact of the buyout affects where players download the game. Rocket League arrives on the Epic Games Store in late 2019, effectively ending new downloads on Valve's Steam platform. However, Epic reassures the community that the game will maintain full support across all existing platforms and that current Steam users continue to receive updates and online access.
By securing Rocket League and its 57 million players, Epic guarantees a steady revenue stream long after the eventual decline of Fortnite's popularity. This strategic grab highlights Epic's aggressive push to build a competitive digital storefront by locking down major exclusives, directly challenging Valve's long-standing dominance in the PC gaming market.