The creators of 'Fortnite' just bought the studio behind one of the most popular games on the planet

Rocket League

"Fortnite" creator Epic Games has purchased Psyonix, the developer behind "Rocket League."
With more than 50 million registered players spread across PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC, "Rocket League" is one of the most popular games in the world.
Starting this year the PC version of "Rocket League" will be exclusive to the Epic Games Store, though copies purchased on other platforms will continue to work.
"Rocket League" is like soccer, as played with cars.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

"Fortnite" creator Epic Games will acquire Psyonix, the San Diego-based game developer responsible for "Rocket League" — one of the most popular games in the world, with more than 50 million registered players worldwide. "Rocket League" is, essentially, the game of soccer as played with cars.

"Rocket League," like "Fortnite," allows users on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC play together online. It was the second game added to Sony's PlayStation cross-platform beta program, following "Fortnite" by a few months. In a statement announcing the deal Epic CEO Tim Sweeney and Psyonix founder Dave Hagewood said the two companies have been friendly for years, and the purchase will formalize their relationship.

Founded in 2001, Psyonix contributed to titles in Epic's "Gears of War" and "Unreal Tournament" franchises, as well as numerous games built using Epic's Unreal Engine development software. Psyonix released "Rocket League" in 2015 to critical acclaim, and has a 132-person staff focused on developing the game's community.

"We've been working closely with Epic since the early days of 'Unreal Tournament,' and we've survived changing tides as partners, so combining forces makes sense in many ways," Hagewood said in a statement. "The potential of what we can learn from each other and accomplish together makes us truly excited for the future."

The PC version of Rocket League will come to the Epic Games Store in late 2019. Until then, it will continue to be available for purchase on Steam. Players who own "Rocket League" on Steam and other platforms will still be able to continue playing the game after it moves to the Epic Games Store. A spokesperson for Epic Games told the Verge that the company is still assessing a long-term plan for the game, including which platforms it will be available on.

In a statement posted on the "Rocket League" website, the company said the move will also help expand the reach of Rocket League Esports, which includes a circuit of events for professional players. The Rocket League Championship Series will close out its season during the finals in Newark, New Jersey from June 21st to 23rd.

The acquisition deal is not totally official yet; Epic and Psyonix currently expect to close the acquisition by the end of May or early June.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: We unboxed the $1,980 Samsung Galaxy Fold — here's what comes inside