Red Barrels, the studio behind the acclaimed horror game Outlast, received crucial guidance from Frictional Games co-founder Thomas Grip regarding the fluctuating nature of sales on Steam. This advice proved invaluable after Outlast's initial sales momentum began to wane.
According to a report from PC Gamer, the success of Frictional Games' Amnesia: The Dark Descent served as a significant inspiration and a market validation for the Outlast developers. The developers at Red Barrels observed that Amnesia had sold approximately 400,000 copies in its first year, a figure that became an initial target for Outlast.
When Outlast's sales started to slow, Red Barrels co-founder Morin contacted Grip for advice on managing sales performance on Steam. Grip explained the platform's dynamic, noting that promotional activities can cause sales to spike temporarily before returning to a lower baseline, creating a "roller coaster" effect on the sales curve. This understanding helped Red Barrels adjust their strategies.
Ultimately, Outlast met its sales targets, allowing the team to receive substantial bonuses. The Outlast series continued to achieve considerable success, with millions of copies sold across its installments, including the Whistleblower DLC, its sequel, and a multiplayer offering.