Well, well, well. The tea has officially been spilled, and it’s piping hot. Former Epic Games employees just dropped some insider knowledge that’s got the gaming community saying “we been knew this.” Turns out, most people really do treat the Epic Games Store like a free sample counter at Costco.
Advertisement“Former Epic employees confirm people only use EGS for the free games and go back to Steam.” — @Pirat_Nation
This tweet is blowing up because it’s basically validating what every gamer has been lowkey thinking for years. Like, who hasn’t done exactly this? Thursday rolls around, you remember Epic’s got a new freebie, you hop on, claim your game, and immediately close the launcher. It’s giving “thanks for the snacks, but I’m going home now” energy.
The revelation is honestly kind of unhinged when you think about it. Epic has been throwing millions at this strategy — giving away massive games like Grand Theft Auto V, Control, and Subnautica for free. They’ve probably spent more on free games than some countries’ entire GDP. And their own employees are out here confirming it’s basically a digital food truck that people visit once and ghost.
But let’s be real — is anyone actually surprised? The Epic Games Store launched in 2018 with big promises about shaking up the PC gaming scene. They offered better revenue splits for developers and exclusive deals that had some folks heated. But despite all that, Steam just hits different. It’s like trying to replace your favorite coffee shop — sure, the new place might have better deals, but muscle memory is real.
Steam’s got that ecosystem lock-in that’s honestly impressive. Your friends are there, your achievements are there, your 500-game library that you’ll never finish is there. Epic might give you free stuff, but Steam gives you that cozy feeling of home. It’s where your gaming identity lives.
The timing of this leak is pretty wild too. Epic just wrapped up another year of free game giveaways, and they’ve been pushing hard with Fortnite integration and Unreal Engine partnerships. They’ve been playing the long game, betting that eventually people would stick around. But if their own internal data shows people are still treating EGS like a pit stop, that’s gotta sting.
What’s really interesting is how this plays into the bigger picture of platform loyalty in gaming. Epic isn’t just competing with Steam’s features — they’re fighting decades of habit formation. Steam launched in 2003, which means some gamers have been using it longer than they’ve been driving. That’s some serious brand loyalty right there.
The free games strategy was supposed to be Epic’s trojan horse. Get people in the door with freebies, show them how smooth the experience is, and gradually convert them into regular users. But apparently, most folks are taking the horse and leaving the Greeks outside the gates.
This whole situation also highlights something pretty unique about PC gaming culture. Console players are basically stuck with their platform’s store, but PC gamers? We’re spoiled for choice. We can have Steam, Epic, GOG, Origin, and Battle.net all installed at once. And apparently, we’re using that freedom to cherry-pick the best deals while staying loyal to our main platform.
Epic’s probably not too worried though. They’ve got Fortnite money flowing in like a broken fire hydrant, so they can afford to play the patient game. Plus, every free game they give away is another potential customer who might eventually buy something. Even if the conversion rate is low, when you’re dealing with millions of users, even a small percentage adds up.
The question now is whether Epic doubles down on this strategy or tries something new. Maybe they need to focus less on bribing users with free games and more on making their platform genuinely better than the competition. Better social features, improved library management, or exclusive content that actually matters.
Or maybe they lean into it completely. Why fight the tide when you can ride it? Market yourself as the place for free games and deals. Own that identity instead of trying to be Steam 2.0.
Whatever they do, this leak is a reminder that in the gaming world, loyalty runs deep. You can offer all the free games you want, but changing someone’s digital habits? That’s the real final boss fight. And right now, it looks like Steam’s still got the high score.
