Devs see scores plummet after Steam ratings change

One game saw its user review score change from a very decent 88 to a far less inspiring 14 following Valve’s changes to the user review system on Steam yesterday.

The new rules mean that customers who have obtained a game by redeeming a key as opposed to buying directly through Steam will no longer be able to attribute a score to their reviews. The move is designed to quash the danger of developers artificially inflating their review scores by handing out keys to players who in turn leave a favourable rating.

However, the decision could potentially impact smaller devs who rely more heavily on direct sales, and especially those who have crowdfunded their titles, not least because review scores now occupy such a prominent place in the Steam storefront design.

SteamSpy data has revealed the 427 games that saw the biggest changes in their review score as a result of the changes, and MCV has all the details.