New Blood Interactive and Hyperstrange’s Blood West sold 200% more copies on Steam after it was given away for free on Epic Games Store.
Blood West publisher New Blood Interactive’s DaveOshry took to Twitter/X to share that the game was free on the Epic Games Store over the holidays, which led to a spike in sales by around 200% on Steam the same day over the prior day. He mentioned that he used to think that Epic Games’ digital store was a “Marketing Black Hole”. However, it appears that a game being free on Epic Games Store can prove to be an indirect advertisement for Steam sales.
Dave further stated that New Blood Interactive doesn’t get any royalties from Epic Games Store. Instead, the company let Hyperstrange take 100% of it, adding that the developer “got the $$$ bag for the free giveaway.” According to him, the studio is using money earned from Epic Games as well as the Steam sales to fund the development of new Blood West DLC.
Additionally, Dave mentioned that the free availability of Blood West on the Epic Games Store also led to a spike in sales of the console version.
Epic Games Store offered Blood West on December 20, 2025,as part of its Mystery Game promotion. Described as a blend of Weird West mythology and eldritch horror, Blood West is positioned as an immersive stealth-focused first-person shooter. Players take on the role of the Undead Gunslinger, a cursed figure condemned to wander hostile lands in search of a way to cleanse the affliction and free his soul. The game explicitly distances itself from traditional Western redemption narratives, framing its story instead as a prolonged descent marked by damnation rather than salvation. The game features three distinct open-ended regions known as the Canyons, the Swamp, and the Mountains. Each area is populated by abominable creatures and unholy enemies, encouraging exploration at the player’s own pace.
