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When Blood West was offered for free on the Epic Games Store over the holiday period, most people assumed it would mainly benefit Epic’s ecosystem. Instead, it did something far more surprising. According to New Blood CEO Dave Oshry, the giveaway triggered a massive spike in sales on Steam, with purchases jumping by around 200 percent on the same day.

The revelation has sparked fresh debate around Epic’s free game strategy, Steam’s dominance, and why many PC players still prefer paying for a game rather than claiming it for nothing.

Free On Epic, Sold Better On Steam

Oshry shared the data on social media, explaining that Blood West being free on Epic acted as powerful advertising rather than cannibalising sales. The result was a surge of players choosing to buy the game on Steam instead, even while it was available for zero dollars elsewhere.

“I used to think EGS was a marketing black hole,” Oshry wrote. “Turns out having your game be free on Epic is great advertising for Steam sales.”

The boost was not limited to PC either. Oshry also confirmed that console sales saw a noticeable spike during the same period, suggesting the free giveaway raised overall awareness across platforms.

How Developers Are Paid For Epic Giveaways

One common question around Epic’s weekly freebies is how developers are compensated. Oshry addressed this directly, explaining that studios receive a lump sum payment from Epic for making a game free for a limited time.

In the case of Blood West, New Blood allowed the game’s developer, Hyperstrange, to take 100 percent of that Epic deal. That money is now being reinvested into development, including work on upcoming DLC, while New Blood benefited from increased Steam sales at the same time.

From Oshry’s perspective, this arrangement was a win for everyone involved.

Why Steam Still Wins Player Loyalty

The situation highlights a long running reality in PC gaming. Even when Epic offers a game for free, many players still prefer to buy it on Steam. Library consolidation, community features, reviews, forums, and overall user experience continue to play a huge role.

Oshry summed it up bluntly when discussing revenue splits. “Epic could give devs 100 percent of sales and it doesn’t mean anything if there are no sales. What’s 100 percent of zero?”

Other developers have echoed similar concerns, describing Epic as a store rather than a community. Steam, by contrast, is often seen as a place where players engage, discuss, review, and stay invested long term.

Epic’s Free Games Strategy Still Has Value

Despite criticism of the launcher’s performance and feature set, Epic’s free game programme remains one of the strongest marketing tools in the industry. The sheer scale of its user base, driven largely by Fortnite, ensures massive exposure for any title included in the promotion.

As this case shows, that exposure does not always translate into Epic sales, but it can absolutely drive interest elsewhere. For developers and publishers, that makes free Epic giveaways less of a loss leader and more of a powerful discovery channel.

What This Means For PC Gamers And Developers

The Blood West spike reinforces a simple truth about the PC market. Price matters, but platform experience matters more. Many players are happy to pay a little extra to avoid splitting their libraries or giving up features they value.

For developers, the takeaway is equally clear. Epic’s free deals can be lucrative upfront and act as advertising, while Steam remains the platform where long term sales momentum often lives.

In an industry where discoverability is everything, free does not always mean cheap, and sometimes zero dollars on one store can be worth far more somewhere else.