Steam’s New Update Is Bad News for Many Games

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Steam’s recent update limits review scores based on the user’s language, thereby concealing international reviews. This could potentially disadvantage games with wide global audiences since they rely heavily on diverse feedback. The shift in Steam’s review system, which has been a prominent customer-friendly feature since 2013, has sparked worries among users.

In addition to serving as a method for players to maintain fair game scoring, Steam’s rating system has also been utilized as a platform for expressing dissent towards developers’ decisions, advocating for changes, and boycotting certain games. A notable instance occurred when the Steam page for the game _Ready or Not_ was bombarded with negative reviews following the developer’s decision to censor some of its content prior to its console release. However, this is merely one instance, and numerous other games have experienced organized backlash from their communities within Valve’s gaming platform as well.

Steam Now Shows Localized Review Scores, Hiding International Comments

To help reduce the impact of review bombing, Steam has tailored Review Scores to each user’s language. The updated system emphasizes reviews written in the user’s native tongue, concealing international ratings on the main page. Under these new regulations, if a game accumulates over 2000 public reviews and at least 200 are in a specific language, its overall score will be based on those reviews written in that language. This change has led to a substantial decrease in the total review counts for many games, with _Black Myth: Wukong_ being one notable instance where this occurred.

Prior to the latest Steam upgrade, Black Myth: Wukong‘s popularity was apparent on its listing, boasting over 850,000 largely positive user reviews. These scores from players were often seen as a persuasive factor for the Chinese RPG, leading more gamers to purchase it. However, following the update, English-speaking users now notice only approximately 64,000 reviews on the store page, which, while still significant, is just a tiny part of the game’s total international reviews.

Games boasting large global fanbases could potentially suffer the most from Steam’s update. Titles like Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, Tale of Immortal, and Black Myth: Wukong find themselves in a similar predicament. The default review counts for these games have decreased significantly in various regions due to Steam’s move towards regional grading. This initiative is intended to aid users in making wiser buying decisions by showcasing how a game fares within their own region. However, this change might prove detrimental to developers as a vast number of their valuable reviews may go unnoticed by potential buyers.

1. Option A: Users can continue to access unfiltered review scores by using the “Language Breakdown” feature, but their default view will be restricted to their native language. It will be intriguing to observe whether Valve’s move to limit reviews leads to improved user experience or sparks fresh debates as Steam navigates its current issues in the following days.

2. Option B: The “Language Breakdown” filter allows users to view unrestricted review scores, but their default view is confined to their native language. In the coming days, it will be worth watching whether Valve’s decision to limit reviews brings about a better user experience or stirs up new criticisms amidst Steam’s ongoing conflicts.

3. Option C: With the “Language Breakdown” filter, users can still see all review scores, but they’ll initially view scores in their native language by default. In the near future, we’ll observe whether Valve’s decision to restrict reviews enhances user experience or triggers additional disputes as Steam deals with its on-going controversies.

4. Option D: Users can still see all review scores using the “Language Breakdown” filter, but their default display will now be limited to their native language. In the days ahead, it will be interesting to see whether Valve’s choice to limit reviews improves user experience or provokes new debates as Steam faces ongoing controversies.

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2025-08-19 17:40