Just before the weekend, Epic Games launched their new Total War Saga: Troy strategy game, making it available for free to anyone who logged in using their Epic Games Store application and claimed the game within the first 24 hours of release. It has now been revealed that over 7.5 million players took up the offer in the first 24 hours of the limited-time free giveaway for Creative Assembly’s strategy game.
“We were optimistic but we couldn’t have predicted this level of excitement,” Rob Bartholomew, chief product officer said. “It’s been incredible to work with Epic on giving this brand new release away for free. Now we get to welcome so many strategy players – new and old – to experience this incredible Saga. We’re very happy.”
The Impact of the Free Giveaway
The decision to offer Total War Saga: Troy for free for a limited time was a strategic move by both Creative Assembly and Epic Games. This initiative not only generated significant buzz around the game’s release but also brought a massive influx of new users to the Epic Games Store. The 7.5 million downloads in just 24 hours is a testament to the game’s popularity and the effectiveness of the promotional strategy.
This move also highlights the growing trend of game developers and publishers using free giveaways to boost visibility and player engagement. By offering the game for free, Creative Assembly ensured that a large number of players would try out the game, potentially leading to increased word-of-mouth promotion and long-term sales.
Exclusivity and Future Plans
The Total War Saga: Troy strategy game has now reverted to its full selling price and will be exclusive to the Epic Games Store for the next 12 months. This exclusivity deal is part of a broader strategy by Epic Games to attract more users to its platform by securing exclusive rights to popular games. While this approach has been met with mixed reactions from the gaming community, it has undeniably helped Epic Games carve out a significant share of the digital distribution market.
Creative Assembly has clarified that the exclusivity and the free giveaway is a one-off deal for Troy, and the company has made no plans for future games to be Epic exclusives. This statement is likely to reassure fans who prefer other platforms, such as Steam, and are concerned about potential future exclusivity deals.
The success of the Total War Saga: Troy giveaway also raises interesting questions about the future of game distribution and marketing. Will more developers follow suit and offer their games for free for a limited time to boost initial engagement? How will this impact the traditional sales model and the competition between digital distribution platforms?
The launch of Total War Saga: Troy on the Epic Games Store has been a resounding success, with millions of players taking advantage of the free giveaway. This event has not only highlighted the game’s popularity but also demonstrated the potential benefits of strategic partnerships and promotional campaigns in the gaming industry. As the landscape of game distribution continues to evolve, it will be fascinating to see how developers and publishers adapt to these changes and what new strategies they will employ to capture the attention of gamers worldwide.
Source: Eurogamer
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