Explosive Allegations: Game Dev Exposes Epic's Royalty Payment Controversy

Highlights

A game developer has accused Epic Games of not paying royalties for their game.

Hatoful Boyfriend creator Hato Moa has tweeted about not receiving royalties from Epic Games since it acquired Mediatonic.

Epic has said it is looking into the situation and will reach out to her.

Epic Games has been accused of failing to pay royalties by a game developer. The company, known for its recent layoff of approximately 870 employees across various departments, also affected some employees from Mediatonic. Mediatonic, the developer behind the popular multiplayer game Fall Guys, was acquired by Epic Games in 2021 following the game's remarkable success during the pandemic. In addition to Fall Guys, Mediatonic also contributed to the development of the quirky pigeon dating sim Hatoful Boyfriend. Throughout its history, Fall Guys has consistently delighted players with unique collaborations and regular updates to enhance the overall gaming experience.

Hatoful Boyfriend, a game known for its peculiar and entertaining choose-your-adventure gameplay, gained popularity when it was released in 2011. However, despite the game's subsequent availability on Epic Games after being acquired by Mediatonic in 2021, the creator of Hatoful Boyfriend, Hato Moa, revealed that she has not been receiving any royalties from the company. Moa took to Twitter to question why Epic Games had not paid her. Although she mentioned that the issue was not overly serious, she expressed her curiosity, particularly in light of the game being removed from the PlayStation Store, Google Play, and Apple Store two years ago. Epic Games responded to Moa's inquiries by assuring her that they are investigating the matter and will be in touch. Many fans of Hatoful Boyfriend sympathized with Moa and expressed their hope for a speedy resolution to the issue. In subsequent tweets, Moa reiterated that she was doing okay but acknowledged that the game's sales suffered after its removal from other platforms. She also showed her support for the Mediatonic employees who had been let go, stating that they had always treated her kindly. Furthermore, Moa assured her fans that purchasing from the Hatoful Boyfriend shop would be a beneficial way to support her financially.

Video game developers or publishers have faced criticism for late payments before. In July last year, HoYoverse encountered a similar situation where several voice actors of Genshin Impact reportedly went unpaid for six months. It is hopeful that the present problem with Moa will be resolved promptly. Hatoful Boyfriend is currently accessible on Steam for both Mac and PC.