PC gamers will likely be familiar with Steam and its user review section, where players can see hundreds of opinions all at a glance, to help determine if a certain game is good or not. And like any storefront that features user reviews, it's common for particularly heated users to collectively "review bomb" a title by bombarding it with negative reviews over certain updates, additions, removals, or even issues unrelated to the game itself, such as a developer's political affiliation or choice. In the past, we've seen examples like this for Devotion, a game that had an in-game picture making fun of China's president, which prompted hundreds of users to attack the game for that factor alone. On the other hand, there was also the time where Epic Games secured the latest Metro title as an exclusive, fans went and posted multitudes of positive comments for the game despite it no longer being available on Steam, with a majority of them not even talking about the game, but rather how they wanted to see the Epic Game Store fail.

Valve intends to curb this behavior by making a few changes to how a Steam game's review score is calculated. In the future, the company will remove all "review bombs" from the default store page, which will target all "offtopic" reviews. According to an official post on the Steam forums, an offtopic review is defined by if the content focuses on anything unrelated to the game, like DRM debates, personal developer affiliations, or exclusivity complaints. Whenever a title receives a major influx of negative reviews, Valve staff will individually look into the case, and if they find evidence of review bombing, they'll remove any reviews made during a limited period of time.

In every situation that this occurs, a notice will be posted in order to inform users. Additionally, if you still want to see those reviews, you can simply check a an option in your user settings to allow them to be visible.

Q: I care about some things that I worry other players don't, like DRM or EULA changes. Review bombs have been about them in the past. Do you consider them unrelated or off-topic?

A: We had long debates about these two, and others like them. They're technically not a part of the game, but they are an issue for some players. In the end, we've decided to define them as off-topic review bombs. Our reasoning is that the "general" Steam player doesn't care as much about them, so the Review Score is more accurate if it doesn't contain them. In addition, we believe that players who do care about topics like DRM are often willing to dig a little deeper into games before purchasing - which is why we still keep all the reviews within the review bombs. It only takes a minute to dig into those reviews to see if the issue is something you care about.

Q: So if I post a review inside in the period of an off-topic review bomb, my review won't be included in the Review Score?

A: Unfortunately, this is correct. We've tested our process of identifying off-topic review bombs on the entire history of reviews on Steam, and in doing so, we've found that while we can look through reviews and community discussions to determine what's behind the review bomb, it isn't feasible for us to read every single review. But as we mentioned back in our first User Review post, our data shows us that review bombs tend to be temporary distortions, so we believe the Review Score will still be accurate, and other players will still be able to find and read your review within the period.

Q: Are you deleting reviews?

A: No, we are only changing the way we calculate a game's Review Score. All reviews are left untouched, and if you still want to see the raw Review Score, you're welcome to make that change in your Steam Store Preferences.

Q: Does this mean you'll be going back to identify and remove old off-topic review bombs?

A: Based on internal conversations and consultation with some of the partners that have experienced off-topic review bombs, we decided not to unilaterally grandfather in what's happened in the past.

Q: What about when I don't agree with you about what's an "off-topic review bomb?"

A: We'd suggest setting your Steam Reviews default to "Include reviews from all Steam purchases in Review Scores" in under the "Review Score Settings" in your Steam Store Preferences

Q: Reviews are extremely important to me: they're one of the few tools customers have to react to deception or discovering something they've been sold is sub-par. I guess that really wasn't a question, but I just wanted to say that.

A: We agree. We remain in active conversation with you, the community, about what you want from reviews along with the various partners who sell their games on Steam. Reviews are an important part of Steam, which is why we continue to do the work to make sure that they are not being manipulated by anyone. It's the same reason that we decisively ban partners who engage in review manipulation -- customers need to be able to trust the system for it be valuable.

Source

 

[FAST6191]

"an offtopic review is defined by if the content focuses on anything unrelated to the game, like DRM debates, personal developer affiliations, or exclusivity complaints."

While better than a lot of what I have seen from other silicon valley types that still leaves a lot of wiggle room. Also "was off topic" is far more pleasing to most ears.

Similarly as far as developer affiliations... while I mostly separate art from the artist I can see plenty of scope to discuss it and where people might be inclined to pay more attention to such things, something I will not fault them for in and of itself.

DRM wise. Well it is a big part of the reason I don't have a steam account (the second being I like the option to resell games or dispose of them at my will). As others said though it can be a major reason for flaws in a game, and reasons to consider things. I am not sure what the right response is here -- most things have some kind of helpful rating system which could be tweaked for this (much like a likes system though it risks the at a boy effect so the most basic implementation will probably have to be tweaked -- lately I have seen several sites say how long the read will be and I am sure you could implement something like that silently).
Videos because why not

 

[the_randomizer]

"an offtopic review is defined by if the content focuses on anything unrelated to the game, like DRM debates, personal developer affiliations, or exclusivity complaints."

While better than a lot of what I have seen from other silicon valley types that still leaves a lot of wiggle room. Also "was off topic" is far more pleasing to most ears.

Similarly as far as developer affiliations... while I mostly separate art from the artist I can see plenty of scope to discuss it and where people might be inclined to pay more attention to such things, something I will not fault them for in and of itself.

DRM wise. Well it is a big part of the reason I don't have a steam account (the second being I like the option to resell games or dispose of them at my will). As others said though it can be a major reason for flaws in a game, and reasons to consider things. I am not sure what the right response is here -- most things have some kind of helpful rating system which could be tweaked for this (much like a likes system though it risks the at a boy effect so the most basic implementation will probably have to be tweaked -- lately I have seen several sites say how long the read will be and I am sure you could implement something like that silently).
Videos because why not

That's just it, most Steam games don't even use invasive DRM, and most can be played without online DRM at all. It's the ones with garbage Denuvo are the ones that should be avoided.

 

[FAST6191]

That's just it, most Steam games don't even use invasive DRM, and most can be played without online DRM at all. It's the ones with garbage Denuvo are the ones that should be avoided.

Do I need Steam to play the game and does it provide anything that warrants it? Yes and no respectively? Then Steam is DRM.

 

[the_randomizer]

Do I need Steam to play the game and does it provide anything that warrants it? Yes and no respectively? Then Steam is DRM.

Yes, but it's one of the least restrictive DRM out there, offline, able to backup and restore an unlimited no. of times. Can't say the same for shitty Denovo or uPlay.

 

[FAST6191]

Yes, but it's one of the least restrictive DRM out there, offline, able to backup and restore an unlimited no. of times. Can't say the same for shitty Denovo or uPlay.

If you are content to submit to their will that much, and also lose the ability to resell games, then you do you. Not inclined to do so myself.

 

[the_randomizer]

If you are content to submit to their will that much, and also lose the ability to resell games, then you do you. Not inclined to do so myself.

To each their own, I'd rather use Steam than an inferior digital storefront like Origin, Uplay or Epic's garbage. No sense in me trying to explain or convince people.

 

[FAST6191]

To each their own, I'd rather use Steam than an inferior digital storefront like Origin, Uplay or Epic's garbage. No sense in me trying to explain or convince people.

Such programs eventually catch up -- no software that is a UI has ever been so far advanced that others could not catch it. Granted I don't see the need to have launchers and store fronts in general.

 

[the_randomizer]

Such programs eventually catch up -- no software that is a UI has ever been so far advanced that others could not catch it. Granted I don't see the need to have launchers and store fronts in general.

I suppose that I was wrong in showing my support of Steam and how it handles its own DRM. My apologies.

 

[FAST6191]

I suppose that I was wrong in showing my support of Steam and how it handles its own DRM. My apologies.

I thought you were working on not throwing your hands up if a debate is not resolved to your satisfaction.

If you like it then so be it. I see it as a pointless exercise, one that restricts my freedoms to play as I will, that represents a private entity having a say on what games get out there in the world (one with a very suspect history) and also prevents me from sharing with friends or selling on to others. To that end I am of the "would not piss on it were it on fire, saving that the fire has already killed it and a final insult is necessary" persuasion and encourage that in others. There might well be more restrictive things out there but two wrongs and rights and all that.

 

[the_randomizer]

I thought you were working on not throwing your hands up if a debate is not resolved to your satisfaction.

If you like it then so be it. I see it as a pointless exercise, one that restricts my freedoms to play as I will, that represents a private entity having a say on what games get out there in the world (one with a very suspect history) and also prevents me from sharing with friends or selling on to others. To that end I am of the "would not piss on it were it on fire, saving that the fire has already killed it and a final insult is necessary" persuasion and encourage that in others. There might well be more restrictive things out there but two wrongs and rights and all that.

Even I don't know what the hell I'm doing or why I do what I do. Been struggling with some interpersonal shit right now. Sorry that I do that.

I don't know what I could add to the discussion.

 

[bi388]

This isnt a good thing. Steam is basically saying now that if you comment on how the game ran badly because of Denuvo, or give it a bad score because it has spyware in it like Redshell, they will remove your review. Basically they get to pick and choose what are ok reasons to dislike a game and what arent.

 

[the_randomizer]

This isnt a good thing. Steam is basically saying now that if you comment on how the game ran badly because of Denuvo, or give it a bad score because it has spyware in it like Redshell, they will remove your review. Basically they get to pick and choose what are ok reasons to dislike a game and what arent.

Again, censorship like this is for the thin-skinned, pusillanimous developer who can't take criticism.

 

[Kioku]

This isnt a good thing. Steam is basically saying now that if you comment on how the game ran badly because of Denuvo, or give it a bad score because it has spyware in it like Redshell, they will remove your review. Basically they get to pick and choose what are ok reasons to dislike a game and what arent.

People crying "oh mah God drm!" don't have a right to review the product. Discussing the performance impact is another issue entirely. I'd hope steam wouldn't censor the legitimate reviews and stomp out the ones whining because of DRM.

 

[the_randomizer]

People crying "oh mah God drm!" don't have a right to review the product. Discussing the performance impact is another issue entirely. I'd hope steam wouldn't censor the legitimate reviews and stomp out the ones whining because of DRM.

Denuvo has been known to affect performance, so including that in a review I think is fine. Ubisoft games are notorious for extra DRM killing performance *cough* AC: Odyssey *cough*

 

[Kioku]

Denuvo has been known to affect performance, so including that in a review I think is fine. Ubisoft games are notorious for extra DRM killing performance *cough* AC: Odyssey *cough*

Covered that. Leaving a negative cuz "durrr DRM" is entirely different than bringing to light the issues it brings. DMC V is a prime example as well. Denuvo is hot trash.

 

[the_randomizer]

Covered that. Leaving a negative cuz "durrr DRM" is entirely different than bringing to light the issues it brings.

Alrighty, fair enough indeed.

 

[kuwanger]

Do I need Steam to play the game

List of DRM-free games on Steam. Of course, it's easier to just go GoG.

lose the ability to resell game

Yea, that seems like a much stronger deal breaker to me...if I actually cared about it. By that, I mean, maybe I'm not "legally" allowed to resell games but if it came down to it I wouldn't have moral compunction against packaging up a DRM-free version of a game, selling it, and then removing all instances I have of it while adding it to a "Sold" list to remind myself never to download/play it. That's obviously a horrible work around, so I totally understand not wanting to mess with it.

 

[FAST6191]

Yea, that seems like a much stronger deal breaker to me...if I actually cared about it. By that, I mean, maybe I'm not "legally" allowed to resell games but if it came down to it I wouldn't have moral compunction against packaging up a DRM-free version of a game, selling it, and then removing all instances I have of it while adding it to a "Sold" list to remind myself never to download/play it. That's obviously a horrible work around, so I totally understand not wanting to mess with it.

I have done as such (or at least given to friends that way), and on other services I have often done individual emails for each new game to keep them all split up. Similarly I have not traded in a game to a shop... possibly since the dreamcast ended, and that was the first since the end of the 16 bit era (still have all my N64 games). Traded a few with friends but that is a different matter.

What I mainly care about from a personal perspective is the ability to buy from others, something which necessarily means everybody gets a chance to resell.
Would also solve the problem with delisted games.

 

[Xzi]

Doesn't seem like a bad idea. Mentioning the DRM as part of the pros/cons is fine, but reviews that only talk about the DRM are pretty useless.

 

[Hells Malice]

Good. It's about time. Valve needs to understand their mediocre lawless review system can hurt sales and thus requires actual attention. If you actually read through negative steam reviews, 90% are retarded. Obviously savvy people just find a real way to judge the game, but there are plenty of normies who will see a shaky steam rating and take it as fact.

DRM Debates... sure, but they better not remove complaints about DRM ruining player experiences and causing technical issues as it often does - that is a completely valid reason to review a game poorly.

Except it almost never does unless the DRM is overtuned. Which accounts for maybe 4 games. All actual properly done tests have otherwise shown DRM does literally nothing to performance. Unless maybe you're on Windows 95 with a Mb of ram. The only people who thinks it affects performance are the proud owners of legendary tinfoil hats and yet nothing inside their head for it to protect.