**Epic Free Game Promo Sparks Steam Sales Surge for ‘Blood West’**
Key Takeaways:
- ‘Blood West’ saw a 200% increase in Steam sales after being free on Epic Games Store
- Epic’s free game strategy inadvertently drives purchases on rival platforms
- Developers criticize Epic’s lack of community features despite generous revenue splits
Valletta, Malta — The keyword “steam free games” is trending after the CEO of New Blood Interactive revealed that giving away their game for free on the Epic Games Store led to a major sales spike on rival platform Steam. During the holiday giveaway, the eldritch horror FPS Blood West was free on Epic but sold 200% more units on Steam that same day.
Epic’s Generosity Turns into Free Advertising for Steam
Dave Oshry, CEO of New Blood Interactive, shared this development via social media after a meme mocked gamers for hoarding but not playing their free Epic games. “Blood West was free on EGS over the holidays and sold like 200% more on Steam that day,” Oshry wrote. While developers often criticize Epic’s lack of community and discoverability tools, Oshry noted that featuring a game as a free title on EGS significantly boosted its visibility—ironically benefiting Steam’s sales more directly than Epic’s own platform.
Why Epic’s Pricing Power Isn’t Enough
The story underscores a long-running criticism of the Epic Games Store. Despite offering developers a better revenue share and in some cases 100% of profits during promotions, Epic lacks core community features that gamers value, such as forums and user reviews. Veteran developer Adrian Chmielarz (Witchfire, Painkiller) recently told FRVR that “EGS is a shop, and Steam is a community.” This sentiment helps explain why many players learn about a free game on Epic but choose to buy or engage with it on Steam, where the ecosystem feels more immersive and social.
What This Means for Developers and Platforms
The success of Blood West’s Steam sales post-Epic promotion offers an unexpected strategy: developers looking to boost visibility might benefit more from using Epic for promotion rather than direct monetization. However, it also reveals a deeper challenge for Epic as it tries to compete with Valve. Without building the sense of community that Steam has cultivated over two decades, Epic may continue to function more as a promotional tool than a sustainable sales platform. Looking ahead, other studios may consider timed exclusives or free promotions to leverage Epic’s reach—while planning to profit on other stores.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why is steam free games trending?
A: A developer revealed that a free game promotion on Epic Games Store caused a dramatic increase in Steam sales, highlighting surprising market dynamics between the two platforms.
Q: What happens next?
A: Developers may increasingly use Epic’s giveaways as marketing, while Epic faces growing pressure to improve its storefront features to compete with Steam.
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