How CI Games Reinvented Umbral and Freed Itself from Epic to Bring Lords of the Fallen II to Brazil

The upcoming action-RPG Lords of the Fallen II is shaping up to be a watershed moment not just for the Polish studio CI Games and its Hexworks team, but also for all the Brazilian fans who were left wanting more—or something different—after the 2023 reboot. The developers threw the game's defining dual-realm mechanic into a blender and rebuilt it from scratch, while the company's leadership made a dramatic strategic U-turn by ripping up an exclusive publishing contract with Epic Games. The end result plays completely differently and, to the delight of PC gamers in Brazil, will launch directly on Steam.

What went wrong with Umbral in the first game

To understand the fanfare around the sequel's new system, you have to remember what it felt like to poke around the Umbral realm in the 2023 title. Sure, it was visually impressive—a desolate, nightmarish version of the world you could visit to solve puzzles, grab extra loot, and return from the dead. The problem was its core mechanic: an infamous "white-eye" timer that linearly ramped up the difficulty the longer you stayed .

The predictability killed the vibe. Instead of a heart-pounding race against a hostile dimension, it became a chore. Players quickly learned exactly when the next wave of strong enemies would appear, taking all the tension out of the experience . That consistent criticism served as the north star for the sequel's creative direction .

Umbral 2.0: A realm that wants to devour you

In a 37-minute deep dive titled "Lifting the Veil," chief figures like Ryan Hill (CCO), Game Director James Lowe, Lead Systems Designer Daniel Regan, and Producer Alex Harkin explained that "Umbral 2.0" isn't just an upgrade—it's a fundamental philosophical shift about what the realm is .

It's not a visit—it's a hunt

The 2023 game treated Umbral as a passive parallel dimension that politely waited for you to step inside. For the sequel, Hexworks has turned the tables. The realm is now described as an "open wound" where the boundary between life and death has been violently torn apart . It's an aggressive, predatory ecosystem that doesn't wait for an invitation—it actively hunts you . This isn't a side attraction anymore; it bleeds incessantly into the living world of Axiom and plays a dominant role in your entire journey . CI Games wants the dual-realm system to feel essential, not like an optional side quest.

The death of the predictable timer

Say goodbye to the white-eye timer. In its place is a dynamic, activity-based threat system that reacts to what you do, not an arbitrary countdown clock. The world now responds to your specific actions, making danger feel organic and utterly unpredictable . This move directly tackles the core complaint from veterans of the first game. Instead of calculating how many seconds you have until the next escalation, you're on edge, reacting to an environment that can shift its threat level at any moment.

Axiom Bleed and the collapse of boundaries

The wall between the living (Axiom) and the dead (Umbral) is crumbling. The developers showed off early footage of grotesque Umbral horrors literally bleeding into the mortal world, creating moments where the separation between the two dimensions collapses entirely. The realms intertwine in ways that make for more seamless—and deeply unsettling—gameplay scenarios . You can no longer compartmentalize the worlds in your head like a neat "light world, dark world" mechanic from classic games; Umbral is always present, always threatening, always ready to stick its claws into your reality.

A visual and tonal overhaul that chills to the bone

The aesthetic has been cranked up to match the mechanical aggression. Out goes the generic spooky dimension, in comes exposed flesh, raw biological horror, and a vibe the team describes as "harsher, stranger, and far less predictable" . Where the original Umbral felt like a gloomy Instagram filter over the world, Umbral 2.0 aims to make your skin crawl with genuine body-horror discomfort. Plus, the realm now features multiple distinct biomes, so different sections have unique art and environmental storytelling. You'll always know exactly which circle of hell you're trudging through .

The end of Epic exclusivity: A victory for Brazilian gamers

On the business side of CI Games, a decision just as crucial as the mechanical overhaul was taking shape behind closed doors.

The original deal: In June 2024, CI Games signed a pact with Epic Games Publishing that granted Epic exclusive worldwide distribution rights for the PC version of Lords of the Fallen II for the entire product lifecycle . For Brazilian PC gamers, this had a very real consequence: at launch, the game would have been locked to the Epic Games Store, skipping Steam entirely.

The separation: On April 14, 2026, CI Games pulled the plug. The company entered into a formal separation agreement, dissolving that exclusivity arrangement . The news was made public via an investor note on May 19, 2026 .

What changed: CI Games regained full open distribution rights for the PC version and will now self-publish the game across all platforms . Crucially, the split doesn't affect other tech partnerships—the studio still uses Unreal Engine 5 and Epic Online Services . While neither party disclosed the specific dollars and cents behind the termination, analyst commentary suggests the move was fueled by the simple desire to dramatically expand the game's commercial reach on PC .

New platform and release strategy

At Summer Game Fest 2026, the studio debuted a new trailer titled "The Battle for Thorngar" and dropped the news everyone was waiting for. 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 . Here's how this multi-storefront strategy breaks down:

• PLAION remains the global partner for physical distribution of console copies in retail stores .
• CI Games self-publishes the digital version across every storefront .
• The game is already available to add to your wishlist on Steam, Epic Games Store, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, so you can lock in your notification right now .

The colossal risk-reward at stake

The one-two punch of the Umbral redesign and the publishing pivot makes Lords of the Fallen II an all-or-nothing moment for CI Games.

Revenue projections with real numbers: A report by brokerage firm Dom Maklerski INC crunched the numbers on what the Steam launch really means in cash. If the PC version had remained a hostage on the Epic Games Store, first-year revenue was projected at approximately PLN 243.5 million. With Steam and other storefronts thrown into the mix, that projection leaps to PLN 323.3 million (something like BRL 1.8 billion at today's conversion), with sales potentially cracking the 2 million copy mark in the launch year .

Audience scale: Analysts estimate the potential player base for the sequel could balloon to around 10 million people globally by launch. For context, the 2023 game hit 5.5 million players, juiced significantly by a stint on Xbox Game Pass in 2024-2025 .

Production investment: To fully realize this ambitious vision, CI Games raised roughly $19 million in additional crowdfunding in early 2026 . The company has also mapped out a strategic roadmap through 2028 centered on higher-quality releases across its two key IPs: Lords of the Fallen and Sniper Ghost Warrior .

A double-edged sword: By walking away from Epic's publishing support, CI Games now carries the full financial burden and reaps the full reward. Without Epic covering marketing, distribution, or operational costs, the Warsaw-listed studio pockets a much fatter share of revenue per unit sold—but also has to fund everything out of its own pocket. For a company trying to graduate from a mid-tier publisher into a genuine AA/AAA force, the fall 2026 launch is its biggest release in history and a brutal test of whether that leap can actually be made .