Epic Games Store trolled again, after free game Blood West sees a 200% bump in Steam sales

The Epic Games Store launched a barrage of free games during the holidays, including the supernatural stealth shooter Blood West. Even so, it appears that the promotion only helped its rival Steam marketplace. New Blood Interactive CEO Dave Oshry revealed on social media how the title enjoyed a dramatic increase in purchases.

Oshry shared a chart showing that Steam fans flocked to Blood West, despite it costing nothing in the Epic Games Launcher. As ResetEra forum posters note, it doesn’t exactly pinpoint the correct timing of the deal. The game was free for 24 hours starting on December 20th, but the graph depicts a peak several days later. Nevertheless, Oshry believes that the approximately 200% rise in sales was no coincidence.

The New Blood Interactive co-founder said, “I used to think EGS was a Marketing Black Hole, but turns out having your game be free on Epic is great advertising for Steam sales!” He goes on to explain that the developers also received compensation from the store.

Why Epic Games can't lure Steam supporters

The Tim Sweeney-approved marketplace has seen significant growth, aided by a constant stream of free games. Regardless, Steam continues to set new benchmarks, recently eclipsing the 42 million user mark. When looking for reasons for Valve’s supremacy, many fans point to its community-driven features.

With game-specific forums, players often turn to Steam first to share opinions or seek help. Meanwhile, a popular ratings and review system can influence how well a new release performs. Finally, workshops provide innovative content, keeping gameplay fresh. Lacking many of these perks, the Epic Games Store struggles with user retention.

Playing a unique shooter like Blood West without any financial risk can be tempting. Even so, many players quickly returned to the competition and a central library of favorite titles. The shooter also saw a holiday discount, dropping the price from $24.99 to $9.99, making the price of convenience more palatable.