The Epic Games Store Mega Sale is the first major sale the store has done, and it has backfired after Paradox Interactive decided not to participate and pulled its game Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines 2 from the store.

On May 16, Epic Games announced that it was launching the Mega Sale with immediate effect: “Today, Epic Games is excited to announce the Epic Mega Sale, which runs in the Epic Games Store from May 16 to June 13. During the Epic Mega Sale, developers and publishers are discounting a ton of great games up to 75% off. Also, for every game purchase over $14.99, Epic Games is providing an additional $10 off to players at no cost to the publisher or developer.”

Despite that emphasis on the Sale taking place: “At no cost to the publisher or developer,” it appears to have taken publishers and developers by surprise, and it has emerged that Paradox Interactive has subsequently removed Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines 2 not just from the sale but from the Epic Games Store as a whole. Klei Entertainment has also removed its game Oxygen Not Included from the sale.

Both games’ have only been temporarily removed from the Epic Games Store, apparently for the period while the Mega Sale runs. Speaking to Kotaku, a spokesperson for Epic Games said: “Paradox Interactive has chosen to not participate in the Epic Mega Sale and the game has been temporarily removed from sale. If you’ve purchased Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 during the period when the discount did apply at the time of check out, Epic will honour that price.”

Paradox Interactive’s move to pull Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 from the Mega Sale makes eminently good sense, since the game won’t be released until 2020 and is currently only available to pre-order. But it provides evidence that Epic’s decision to hold a snap sale on the Epic Games Store wasn’t sufficiently thought through.

The Epic Games Store has caused controversy among gamers since it emerged to challenge Steam’s hegemony. For more information on the Epic Games Store, and its Mega Sale, head to its website.