The sailing game Sail Forth, known for its serene atmosphere, was initially launched in December 2022 across various platforms. However, it recently became available for free on the Epic Games Store for PC starting January 11, 2024. On the very day of the free release, the game experienced an astonishing 282,041% increase in player count, as reported by its creator, David Evans, who expressed being “blown away” by the overwhelming response.
In a tweet shared on January 13, Evans revealed, “Sail Forth has been downloaded 2.4 million times now on Epic (for free lol). Pretty blown away by this, I knew a lot of new players would be joining but this is insane.”
To offer a perspective, Sail Forth presently boasts 357 user reviews on Steam, with a positive rating of 93%. While the correlation between Steam reviews and actual sales can vary, and considering Sail Forth’s availability on consoles, it’s challenging to confidently estimate the pre-Epic freebie player base solely based on this figure. However, the notable contrast between 357 and 2.4 million underscores the significant exposure generated by Epic Games Store promotions.
Sail Forth, one of the two “big” games from Evans and his solo venture Festive Vector, shares the spotlight with Bicyclism Extra Pedal, as indicated on his website. The game continues to receive support, evidenced by a recent patch released for both Steam and Epic on January 16. Additionally, preceding its availability on the Epic Games Store, Sail Forth introduced a DLC pack titled Sail Forth: Maelstrom.
The influx of new players has brought forth a substantial amount of feedback, and Evans diligently sifted through it to uncover valuable insights. Among the recurring requests is the inevitable plea for the addition of multiplayer functionality.
