If you’ve ever found yourself scrolling through a storefront such as Steam looking for a new game, what’s the first thing your eyes will gravitate towards?
Chances are, it’ll be the game’s user reviews. These Game User reviews significantly influence purchasing decisions.
Whether it’s a glowing “overwhelmingly positive” or a more foreboding “Mixed” rating, these small bite-sized pieces of player feedback are powerful drivers of sales and discoverability in the fiercely competitive video game industry.
Reviews are vital for building momentum at launch and will, in most cases, be potential players’ first (and sometimes last) interaction with your game when it is released.
Game User reviews help Build Trust and Social Proof
You wouldn’t buy a car or phone without reading a review, it’s too risky, right?
The same goes for video games, too.
In an age where digital storefronts on all platforms reign supreme, user reviews act as vital social proof.
Why? Players inherently trust other players, so a review from someone who has already invested their time (and money) into your game will often hold more weight to a potential new player than even the most polished marketing campaign.
Reviews help potential buyers to lower risk, offering a glimpse into the actual gameplay experience that can provide answers to essential questions like:
- Is this game right for me?
- Is it worth the price?
- What (if any) flaws or areas of weakness does it have?
- What are its biggest strengths?
A strong collection of positive user reviews, whether numerical or detailed insights from players, is a clear sign of credibility and quality.
As much as it’s about numbers, it’s also about showing that the game resonates with your target audience.
Reviews and Discoverability
User reviews can also be a secret weapon in the fight for discoverability.
Platforms like Steam, PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, Nintendo eShop, and even mobile app stores heavily favour games with strong engagement, such as reviews, in their algorithms.
The Steam algorithm, for example, uses both the quantity and sentiment of user reviews to determine how much visibility a game should get.
In terms of numbers, you should aim to get 10 Steam user reviews as soon as possible.
It can help push your game into discovery queues and recommended lists that Steam’s 130M+ monthly active users could see.
The resulting “Very Positive” or “Mostly Positive” labels directly impact how many players see and click on your game. Higher-rated games naturally appear higher in search results and curated lists.
50 and 500 user reviews are also good milestones to aim for, but they don’t directly impact visibility like the 10 user reviews target does.
Instead, they’ll change the “Positive/Negative” label Steam ties to your reviews, which can psychologically impact a player’s decision to buy or not to buy your game.
After 10 reviews, you’ll get a visible label:
- 80% or more: Positive
- After 50 reviews, if it’s still 80% or more: Very Positive
- After 500 reviews, if it’s 95% or more: Overwhelmingly Positive
Here’s a handy table, created by developer Rune Skovbo Johansen
Outside of the complicated world of algorithms, reviews also fuel word-of-mouth amplification.
It’s simple: Players who love your game (and review it accordingly) are likelier to recommend it to friends, boosting organic growth.
Strong reviews have the massive advantage of sometimes attracting organic interest from journalists and content creators, resulting in valuable coverage and free exposure.
Why Launch Reviews Matter Most
It won’t be surprising to hear that launch day reviews are often the most important, but let’s explain why that’s the case.
A surge of positive reviews right when the game goes live can generate strong initial momentum.
This is when the buzz around your game is at its peak, and those early impressions set the narrative for your game’s future and are hard to turn around should it turn out to be less than positive.
First impressions are also lasting impressions, and good early reviews can help build an immediate positive reputation, making it much easier to attract new players, especially those who may be on the fence.
Another benefit of early reviews is that they let you quickly identify and address issues players may be having. You can also use them to demonstrate your responsiveness to player feedback and commitment to putting things right, should you need to.
How to Encourage User Reviews & Feedback
We’ve told you a lot about how critical user reviews are, so how can you get them?
The simplest way is to use your social channels (X, Discord, Steam posts, etc.) to encourage your community of players to leave a review.
Many developers do this while openly referencing some of the milestones discussed previously, and it continues to be an effective way of ‘weaponising’ your community.
Another trick you can use your social media for is showcasing existing reviews to encourage others to leave their thoughts.
In patch notes or development updates, thank players for their feedback and highlight how specific changes were made based on community input. This shows you’re listening and could lead to players who haven’t reviewed the game yet sharing their opinions on it.
WARNING! Don’t offer incentives for reviews. This goes against Steam’s terms of service, which explicitly prohibit offering rewards (games, DLC, money, etc.) in exchange for reviews. It can lead to your reviews being removed or even penalties for your game!
How to handling negative user reviews
No game is perfect, and negative user reviews are an inevitable part of the journey. The key is not to take them personally, but to see them as valuable insights directly from your player base.
On platforms like Steam, you can directly respond to user reviews. Acknowledge and empathise with the reviewer’s feedback or offer possible solutions if you choose to.
Keep your responses concise and public, as other potential players will see them. Avoid defensiveness at all costs – it only escalates the situation and can deter future sales!
Looking for trends in negative (and even positive) reviews can help you identify areas of the game that may need to be changed. Are multiple players complaining about “clunky controls,” a “confusing story,” or “too many bugs”? These are clear indicators of areas that require your attention.
Showing your community that you’re listening by addressing common complaints in updates can be incredibly powerful.
It can even turn a frustrated player into a loyal fan who might update their review to positive on the store page! However, know when to disengage; some reviews are unproductive negativity, and its OK to let letting those go.
The evolving landscape of game reviews
The world of game reviews is constantly shifting, but one constant is the growing dominance of user reviews.
The sheer volume of player feedback on digital storefronts and community-driven platforms means that player voice is louder than ever.
For live service and Early Access games, user reviews are even more dynamic, changing as the game evolves with updates.
This means continuous engagement with your community is no longer optional—it’s essential for maintaining a positive average review score.
The role of community managers has grown immensely. They act as a vital bridge between developers and players, fostering a positive review culture directly on storefronts and associated forums.
Ultimately, in an increasingly crowded and sceptical market, authenticity reigns supreme. Genuine player experiences and transparent developer communication around those experiences are the most powerful tools you have for building and maintaining a positive user review profile.
Before you go……
Want to know how many wishlists you need to succeed on Steam? We’ve gathered all the quality public data to provide a comprehensive overview of how Steam wishlists impact sales and chart placement. Read it right here.
