In their biggest PR stunt yet, Epic Games have partnered up with Creative Assembly to bring the latest Total War game to the Epic Store for free. After the promotional 24-hour period, the title will remain platform-exclusive for a year. The news has split the community, with people loving and hating the announcement to extremes.
A brand new AAA game free on release
Total War is one of the biggest strategy game franchises in history. Every new entry in the series is anticipated by loyal fans the world over, played and modded for years. Total War games are proper $60 titles, and Troy is not an exception. The game isn’t free to play and comes with a proper story campaign and everything.
Of course, Epic has been supplying free games every week since the release of their store and upped the ante recently by giving away high-budget titles such as GTA V and Borderlands: The Handsome Collection. However, those were non-exclusive, older titles. This is a rare occasion of a store straight-up gifting its customers a AAA game on launch without making it a free-to-play thing, tying it up with the purchase of hardware, or running it as a weekend-only event. Everyone who claims the game will keep it forever. After the first 24 hours, Total War Saga: TROY will be available for purchase at full price.
Why is everybody angry then?
Every time Epic Games makes an aggressive move like that, a large section of the gaming community gets extremely upset. People don’t like exclusives and want to be given the option to play their games wherever they like. Witch, let’s face it, means Steam. The other Total War games are available on Steam and most people have them there with all their achievements, friends, trading cards, and whatnot. There is a sizable chunk of the gaming population who’s not willing to play games outside of steam, which is kind of crazy because Blizzard and Riot Games has been getting away with it without much of an issue.
What’s funny is that a lot of people are even angrier that the game they were anticipating and would gladly pay full price for, is made free. They claim Epic is twisting their arm into signing up and using their store. But hey, that’s the internet for you - people will always be angry, even if they are getting free stuff.
Those boycotters who are willing to stick to their guns and pass on TROY will have to wait a whole year to see the game on Steam. The page is already there, sporting a “Coming 2021” label.
What to make of it?
One thing is certain - Epic are not messing around. Every announcement they’ve been making recently, from the reveal of the upcoming Unreal Engine 5, to now this, has been shaking up the industry to its core. Love them or hate them, they are playing the long game.
We are curious to see where Epic will take things next. For more news, analysis, and opinions, stay right here on EarlyGame!
