All six Batman Arkham and LEGO Batman games are free on the Epic Game Store for a limited time, offering some incredible value for fans of either trilogy and furthering the conversation that the digital distribution platform is operating on another level when compared to its competitors recently. The Epic Game Store has only been around for under a year, but it has already dramatically shaken up the video game industry's sales operations and publisher loyalties, with many AAA titles migrating to the platform as timed exclusives thanks to a much more palatable developer revenue share split.
For those unfamiliar with either trilogy, they're both some of the best super hero experiences in gaming. Batman Arkham is a thrilling third-person brawling series that is widely considered to be the best superhero franchise in the industry - although opinions may have shifted in the wake of the sublime Spider-Man PS4 adventure. Still, the Arkham series is legendary for its gritty storytelling, visceral combat, and a botched PC launch that clouded judgment of its third instalment Arkham Knight, a problem that has since been rectified and should prompt users to give it another chance. The LEGO Batman series is the complete opposite, as developer TT Games created a whimsical world based on Gotham that leans heavily into the more bizarre elements of the property while also delivering an enjoyable, if a little simple, adventure experience.
Both Batman game trilogies have their merits, and both are now available for free on the Epic Game Store for an extremely limited time - just for the next week. At face value, the deal is an incredible good one for gamers, representing a savings of around $120 USD. Even better is the fact that the Epic Game Store will allow those who download the Batman games for free to keep them forever, even when the price resets. It's a great way to get people to give the Epic Game Store platform a chance if they haven't yet, and leaving the games in players' libraries ensures they'll keep the client on their computers, helping to battle the perception that having multiple launchers can be an annoyance.
The six Batman games going up for free is also a nice nod to Batman Day, which is September 21 and will be the 80th anniversary of the Dark Knight. It's a nice sign from Epic Games, proving the developer has a keen eye for promotional opportunities that also make gamers happy, even if it is pretty obvious what's going on in terms of the advertising and install base reach the gesture will provide.
It's another bit of rocky news for Steam, too, which is already struggling in the news lately thanks to reports that its indie game revenue is plummeting this year. As the Epic Store continues to prove it's a viable alternative to the long-entrenched digital distribution service, it will be interesting to see if Valve begins to lean more towards the same approach, putting up games on Steam for free in order to reap the same sort of positive feedback Epic is getting for the move.
Source: Epic Game Store