Epic Games’ Free Giveaways Boost Steam Sales, Reveals New Blood CEO

The Epic Games Store (EGS) continues to attract significant attention, particularly for its strategy of offering free games. This approach appears to positively influence sales on competing platforms, especially Steam. Dave Oshry, CEO of New Blood, recently highlighted a dramatic increase in sales for the game Blood West, which was offered for free on EGS during the holiday season.

Impact of Free Giveaways on Steam Sales

According to Oshry, the availability of Blood West as a free title on Epic led to an incredible 200% surge in its sales on Steam on the same day. This aligns with a growing sentiment among developers that Epic’s giveaways serve as effective marketing tools for their games on other platforms.

Sales Statistics

• Blood West was free on EGS over the holidays.
• Sales on Steam increased by 200% on the day it was offered for free.

New Blood, which publishes Blood West on Steam, allowed the game’s developer to retain 100% of the revenue generated from the giveaway and subsequent purchases on Epic. Oshry emphasized that while Epic offers full sales revenue to developers, it does not guarantee success if the original sales figures are low.

Developer Insights

Oshry expressed a shift in his perspective on EGS. He initially viewed the platform as a “marketing black hole.” However, he now believes that having a game available for free on Epic can generate significant advertising benefits on Steam.

In addition to the spike in Steam sales, it was noted that Blood West experienced a parallel increase in console sales during its promotional period on Epic. This dual benefit highlights the potential for free games on EGS to enhance visibility and sales across multiple platforms.

Challenges Facing Epic Games Store

Despite these successes, Oshry pointed to ongoing challenges associated with EGS, attributing them to Epic’s strategies. He stated, “Epic could give devs 100% of sales and it doesn’t mean anything if there’s no sales.” This sentiment echoes concerns raised by other developers, like Adrian Chmielarz, who remarked in a recent interview that EGS lacks the community feel of Steam.

• Chmielarz described EGS as primarily a shop, lacking community features such as forums and written reviews.
• He suggested that the emotional connections players develop with platforms like Steam are critical to engagement.

Despite these critiques, Epic Games Store remains operational, bolstered by its association with popular games like Fortnite, which mandates its use. However, it struggles to achieve the level of engagement and revenue that Steam continues to see.