Suggestion: Implement a Studio and Publisher Rating System

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Balbrock 14 Oct @ 10:08am

I would like to propose the addition of a system that allows buyers to rate game studios and publishers. This feature would help combat dishonest practices, scams, and force companies to better respect their customers.

Such a system would make the Steam store safer for players. With a visible rating, we could immediately identify a studio's reliability, its commitment to developing its early-access games through to completion, and whether its games actually deliver the promised content.

Indeed, it's becoming increasingly common to come across games that are abandoned before completion, or that are designed to entice players to exceed the two-hour playtime limit (thus preventing a refund), only to then reveal mediocre or empty content. Furthermore, many scams exploit engines like Unity or Unreal Engine to publish rushed games, using massive amounts of free assets without any real added value, leaving players with a disappointing experience.

A rating system for studios and publishers would help hold these entities accountable and offer a more transparent experience for the community.

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Showing 1-15 of 19 comments

feytharn 14 Oct @ 10:22am

Publishers are Valves customers, too. Valve won't implement a system allowing users to taking a dump on those customers publishers for something a streamer said they did, something someone related to the publisher wrote or said on any social network etc. That is bad enough on the forums.

Start_Running 14 Oct @ 10:28am

Nopt gonna happenb because VAlve knows that it will just be salty snowflakes dogpiling on dev/pubs that don't do what they want.

Balbrock 14 Oct @ 10:36am

I understand your concern, but I believe this rating system could be designed to objectively reflect the quality of a studio's support and commitment.

For instance, the score could be influenced by concrete metrics such as:

The game's refund rate

The number of reports related to bugs or technical issues

The regularity of updates and long-term support

The average playtime of its players

To prevent abuse, only legitimate buyers who have accumulated a reasonable amount of playtime would be eligible to rate studios. This would help avoid review bombing or ratings based on just a few minutes of play, which can distort the fair assessment of a studio.

The goal is not to enable unfounded attacks, but to create a fair system that rewards engaged developers and provides the community with honest, valuable information.

Tanoomba 14 Oct @ 10:55am

This feature would be immediately (and likely exclusively) used to punish studios for perceived slights, particularly by those obsessed with their culture war. No thanks.

76561198407601200 14 Oct @ 12:11pm

Originally posted by Balbrock:
I would like to propose the addition of a system that allows buyers to rate game studios and publishers. This feature would help combat dishonest practices, scams, and force companies to better respect their customers.

Such a system would make the Steam store safer for players. With a visible rating, we could immediately identify a studio's reliability, its commitment to developing its early-access games through to completion, and whether its games actually deliver the promised content.

Indeed, it's becoming increasingly common to come across games that are abandoned before completion, or that are designed to entice players to exceed the two-hour playtime limit (thus preventing a refund), only to then reveal mediocre or empty content. Furthermore, many scams exploit engines like Unity or Unreal Engine to publish rushed games, using massive amounts of free assets without any real added value, leaving players with a disappointing experience.

A rating system for studios and publishers would help hold these entities accountable and offer a more transparent experience for the community.

If a game is violating something it can be reported on the store page. Regarding free assets that is something you need to speak with the game developers on.

Princess Luna 14 Oct @ 12:20pm

Originally posted by Start_Running:
Nopt gonna happenb because VAlve knows that it will just be salty snowflakes dogpiling on dev/pubs that don't do what they want.

Are we afraid that bad devs get negative scores?
No need to cover those - if they force DRM or make anti-user changes they deserve to be named
Like Gearbox with predadory EULA`s
https://www.take2games.com/legal/en-US/
Risk of Rain2: Modding? Bannable offence. Give them access to all PC data

Dr.Shadowds 🐉 14 Oct @ 12:41pm

Originally posted by Balbrock:
I would like to propose the addition of a system that allows buyers to rate game studios and publishers. This feature would help combat dishonest practices, scams, and force companies to better respect their customers.

Such a system would make the Steam store safer for players. With a visible rating, we could immediately identify a studio's reliability, its commitment to developing its early-access games through to completion, and whether its games actually deliver the promised content.

So reviews a joke? The community a joke? If you ignore both why would it matter either way, if going ignore to begin with.

Also people are going rate/vote for their own reasons, I seen people get upset because they could get things their way, get mad because they got caught cheating, simply just hated them for no real reason, or etc... Don't believe me check game reviews, and forum posts, as it speaks for itself from history. Even those 3rd party rating sites speaks volumes on my point.

Originally posted by Balbrock:
Indeed, it's becoming increasingly common to come across games that are abandoned before completion, or that are designed to entice players to exceed the two-hour playtime limit (thus preventing a refund), only to then reveal mediocre or empty content. Furthermore, many scams exploit engines like Unity or Unreal Engine to publish rushed games, using massive amounts of free assets without any real added value, leaving players with a disappointing experience.

A rating system for studios and publishers would help hold these entities accountable and offer a more transparent experience for the community.

Just don't buy early access games...
Do research instead of smashing the buy button without thinking...
What so hard to figure out that been thing for years?

Let me put this way, watch awesome movie Fast and the Furious, you saw Fast and the Furious getting a game, you RAN out to get copy without thinking, not bordering to check reviews, or research anything, get MAD because the game sucks. Whom really taking that L? I give a hint it the person that RAN to buy it without thinking.

Last edited by Dr.Shadowds 🐉; 14 Oct @ 12:41pm

Ben Lubar 14 Oct @ 12:42pm

Steam doesn't sell game studios. You don't need to know whether a game studio is worth buying to decide whether you should buy any given thing that Steam sells.

Tito Shivan 14 Oct @ 2:00pm

A Studio rating would be the very definition of a "dump stat"

Nx Machina 14 Oct @ 3:14pm

Originally posted by Balbrock:
Such a system would make the Steam store safer for players. With a visible rating, we could immediately identify a studio's reliability, its commitment to developing its early-access games through to completion, and whether its games actually deliver the promised content.

What is an Early Access game?

It does not get any CLEARER than:

"Get instant access and start playing; get involved with this game as it DEVELOPS".

"This Early Access game is NOT COMPLETE and MAY OR MAY NOT CHANGE FURTHER. If YOU are not excited to play this game in its CURRENT STATE, then YOU should WAIT to see IF the game progresses further in DEVELOPMENT".

So the question remains is waiting a problem?

#10

Start_Running 14 Oct @ 6:06pm

Originally posted by Princess Luna:
Originally posted by Start_Running:
Nopt gonna happenb because VAlve knows that it will just be salty snowflakes dogpiling on dev/pubs that don't do what they want.
Are we afraid that bad devs get negative scores?
No need to cover those - if they force DRM or make anti-user changes they deserve to be named
Like Gearbox with predadory EULA`s
https://www.take2games.com/legal/en-US/
Risk of Rain2: Modding? Bannable offence. Give them access to all PC data

And you've illustrated my point perfectly.
Thank you.
This is why such things will not be implemented.

#11

Sciencemile 14 Oct @ 7:22pm

Couldn't you just aggregate the ratings that already exist for each of their games all together?

#12

Ben Lubar 14 Oct @ 8:14pm

Originally posted by Sciencemile:
Couldn't you just aggregate the ratings that already exist for each of their games all together?

I think just showing them in a list would be better, because then it'd be clearer what the distribution was.

Like this: https://store.steampowered.com/search?developer=Valve

#13

Hikari Light 15 Oct @ 9:39am

Originally posted by Princess Luna:
Originally posted by Start_Running:
Nopt gonna happenb because VAlve knows that it will just be salty snowflakes dogpiling on dev/pubs that don't do what they want.
Are we afraid that bad devs get negative scores?
No need to cover those - if they force DRM or make anti-user changes they deserve to be named
Like Gearbox with predadory EULA`s
https://www.take2games.com/legal/en-US/
Risk of Rain2: Modding? Bannable offence. Give them access to all PC data

And YOU do not get to decide what the devs allow to be done to THEIR game.
If the devs don't want modding, then that is their RIGHT.
Users like you, who hate every dev who doesn't bow to your whims, are why such a rating system will never be a good idea.

Last edited by Hikari Light; 15 Oct @ 9:40am

#14

William Shakesman 15 Oct @ 10:41am

Originally posted by Hikari Light:
Originally posted by Princess Luna:
Are we afraid that bad devs get negative scores?
No need to cover those - if they force DRM or make anti-user changes they deserve to be named
Like Gearbox with predadory EULA`s
https://www.take2games.com/legal/en-US/
Risk of Rain2: Modding? Bannable offence. Give them access to all PC data
And YOU do not get to decide what the devs allow to be done to THEIR game.
If the devs don't want modding, then that is their RIGHT.
Users like you, who hate every dev who doesn't bow to your whims, are why such a rating system will never be a good idea.

Yes users ABSOLUTELY have a right to modify a game. Why would you think users do not? This is a very silly position.

And "users like you who hate every dev"? Seriously?

#15

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Date Posted: 14 Oct @ 10:08am

Posts: 19

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