Inside Lords of the Fallen II's Umbral Overhaul and the End of Epic Exclusivity

A predatory, hostile ecosystem

The original game treated Umbral as a passive parallel dimension that waited for the player. In the sequel, the realm is an "open wound" where the boundary between life and death has been violently torn apart . Umbral is now described as actively hunting the player rather than waiting to be visited .

This philosophical shift means the realm is no longer a side attraction—it bleeds into the living world of Axiom more aggressively and plays a substantially larger role throughout the entire player journey . CI Games wants the dual-realm system to feel essential, not optional.

The death of the predictable timer

The white-eye timer is completely gone. In its place is a dynamic, activity-based threat system that reacts to player behavior rather than a countdown clock . The world now responds to specific actions, making danger feel organic and much less predictable .

This change directly addresses the core complaint players had about the original's linear difficulty ramp. Instead of knowing how many seconds remain before the next escalation, players must stay alert to a reactive environment that can shift its threat level at any moment based on what they're doing.

Axiom Bleed and realm integration

The boundary between the living realm (Axiom) and the dead realm (Umbral) is actively breaking down . The developers showed early footage of Umbral horrors literally bleeding through into the mortal world, creating moments where the separation between the two dimensions collapses .

The two realities now intertwine in ways that create more seamless and unpredictable gameplay experiences. This integration means players can't compartmentalize the realms the way they could in the 2023 game. Umbral is always present, always threatening, and always capable of intruding .

Visual and tonal redesign

The aesthetic overhaul matches the mechanical shift. The realm now appears with exposed flesh, raw biological horror, and a far more unsettling character described as "harsher, stranger, and far less predictable" . Where the original Umbral felt like a spooky alternative dimension, Umbral 2.0 aims for genuine body-horror discomfort .

Multiple biomes within Umbral itself add further variety. Different sections of the realm feature distinct art design and environmental storytelling, ensuring players always know which part of Umbral they're navigating just by looking around .

The end of Epic exclusivity

While Hexworks rebuilt the game's core mechanic, CI Games' leadership made an equally consequential business decision.

The original deal: In June 2024, CI Games signed a publishing agreement with Epic Games Publishing that granted Epic exclusive worldwide distribution rights for the PC version of Lords of the Fallen II for the product's entire life cycle . This effectively meant the game would be an Epic Games Store exclusive on PC at launch, with no Steam availability.

The separation: On April 14, 2026, CI Games entered into a formal separation agreement with Epic Games that dissolved the exclusivity arrangement . The termination was publicly confirmed on May 19, 2026, through an investor note .

What changed: CI Games regained full open distribution rights for the PC version and will self-publish the game across all platforms . The company confirmed the separation does not affect other partnerships, including use of Unreal Engine 5 or Epic Online Services .

Neither company disclosed the specific financial or strategic reasons behind the termination, though analyst commentary suggests the move was driven by the desire to dramatically expand the game's commercial reach on PC .

New platform and release strategy

At Summer Game Fest 2026, CI Games debuted a new trailer titled "The Battle for Thorngar" and confirmed Lords of the Fallen II will launch simultaneously on Steam and Epic Games Store, plus PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, in fall 2026 .

The multi-storefront strategy marks a significant departure from the earlier Epic-exclusive plan:

• PLAION continues as the global physical distribution partner for retail console copies .
• CI Games self-publishes the digital version across all storefronts .
• The game is available to wishlist on Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S .

Commercial stakes and revenue projections

The combination of the Umbral redesign and the publishing pivot makes Lords of the Fallen II a make-or-break moment for CI Games.

Revenue forecasts: Brokerage firm Dom Maklerski INC published projections showing what the Steam launch means in hard numbers. If the PC version had remained an Epic Games Store exclusive, first-year revenue was estimated at approximately PLN 243.5 million. With Steam and other storefronts included, the projection jumps to PLN 323.3 million (roughly $80 million) and sales could exceed 2 million copies in the launch year .

Audience size: Analysts estimate the potential player base for the sequel could reach approximately 10 million people globally by launch, up from the 5.5 million players who experienced the 2023 game (boosted significantly by Xbox Game Pass availability in 2024-2025) .

Production investment: CI Games raised approximately $19 million in additional crowdfunding in early 2026 to fully realize the sequel's ambitious vision . The company has also outlined a strategic roadmap through 2028 focused on higher-quality releases across its two core IPs: Lords of the Fallen and Sniper Ghost Warrior .

The risk-reward equation: The separation from Epic's publishing support means CI Games now bears full financial risk and full upside. Without Epic shouldering marketing, distribution, or operational costs, CI Games keeps a larger share of revenue per unit sold but must also fund everything itself. For a Warsaw-listed company trying to transition from a mid-tier publisher into a major AA/AAA player, the fall 2026 launch represents its largest-ever release and a decisive test of whether that transition can succeed .