By Sagar V. Mankar 
A recent study by Will McCahill, director of the World’s Edge studio (developers of the Age of Empires series under Microsoft), highlights notable trends in Steam reviews. According to his observation, over the past five years, the percentage of positive reviews on the platform has dropped from 90% to 84%. However, this decline is not entirely new, as the rate was 83% in 2018, showing fluctuations rather than a steady downturn.
Language Trends in Reviews
The study reveals that the language of reviews plays a significant role in determining positivity levels:
- Most Positive Reviews: Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Vietnamese, and Indonesian users tend to leave the highest number of positive reviews.
- Least Positive Reviews: Reviews in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean lean towards being more critical.
A particularly noteworthy finding involves the game Black Myth: Wukong and its impact on Chinese review statistics. This single game accounts for roughly 30% of all positive reviews in Chinese on Steam – approximately one million reviews. When these reviews are removed from the analysis, the overall positive rating from Chinese players drops significantly from 80% to 74%, demonstrating how one successful game can significantly influence regional statistics.
Overall, English, Simplified Chinese, and Russian remain the leading languages for reviews.
Final Thoughts
For game developers and publishers, these findings offer valuable insights into maintaining positive player relationships. The data suggests several key strategies:
- Regular monitoring of player feedback across different regions
- Swift and professional responses to player concerns
- Using review trends to guide game improvements
- Enhanced focus on cultural sensitivity in game development
- Investment in quality localization for different markets
Understanding these review patterns helps developers anticipate and address player needs across different cultural contexts.
Source: gam3s.gg