Comment on [deleted]
Wrufieotnak@feddit.org 3 days ago
Thanks for that compilation, it’s always interesting to read about different cultures.
my reasons for positive review:
- having fun (or liking the game for singular astonishing positive parts, if the whole game has some.flaws)
- wanting to support smaller studios (I’m more forgiving for a 1 person studio instead of AAA) if I think the game is still worth to be supported
My reasons for negative review:
- shitty behaviour by developer after my buy (removing content, adding shit content like microtransactions, etc.)
- unfun
- technical problems that majorly impact my enjoyment
In general I give most things the benefit of the doubt and can enjoy certain positive parts in a mostly bad game. so my reviews are mostly positive, as I curate already strongly what I buy.
While I can understand why / how most of the reasons you talked about came around, I’m a bit baffled about the missing chinese localisation. Does that mean a significant number of chinese players buy a game simply to give it a negative review on steam? In the steam store it’s shown what languages are supported. So if you can’t speak any of those languages, why would you buy it?
If the localisation is bad, then I can understand buying it and giving it a negative review due to feeling scammed.
And I can give you an explanation for the number 1 negative reason: Poland, Czech republic and Turkey are all regionally close(ish for Turkey) to each other and you have it in your mind as European. Similar to probably Chinese having Korean in their mind, which most Europeans likely don’t think about.
Maybe the translation company they asked had those languages and so they ordered it. And yeah, I can understand the developer. If I never intended to support a language due to unfamiliarity and then those language speakers are giving me negative reviews… feels unfair.
Entitlement is the way I would describe it. Again, I can unterstand people wanting to play something and I can unterstand feeling left out for your language not being supported. But then buying the game and giving it negative reviews for that? Just don’t buy it or make community translations like so many others do.
frenchfrynoob@lemmy.world 3 days ago
“That’s a really fair question, and I appreciate you asking it in good faith. Let me explain the context that’s probably missing.
First: Why buy a game with no Chinese support?
For many Chinese players, buying a game without Chinese isn’t a mistake — it’s a bet. We buy it hoping the developer might add it later, because it’s happened many times before. Games like Dying Light, The Witcher 3, and Dark Souls all added Chinese post-launch after community feedback. So when Chinese players see a game that looks good but has no Chinese, they buy it — not to leave a negative review, but to signal: ‘We’re here, we’re paying customers, and we’d love to play your game properly.’
The negative review isn’t the goal. It’s a message.
Second: Why leave a negative review instead of just not buying?
That’s where Chinese platforms work a little differently. On Steam in China, the review system isn’t just for other players — it’s also one of the few direct ways to communicate with developers. A negative review with ‘Please add Chinese’ is often seen as a polite request, not a punishment. Developers regularly respond to these reviews and add languages based on demand. So to Chinese players, it feels like a normal way to get attention — not ‘entitlement,’ but ‘this is how the system works here.’
I completely understand why that looks weird from the outside. But for us, it’s not about being angry — it’s about being visible in a market we spent 20 years being invisible in.
And just to be clear: Most Chinese players don’t buy games specifically to leave negative reviews. That would be expensive and pointless. We buy them because we want to play them — and we hope the review will help make them playable.
Hope that helps explain the logic behind it. Thanks for the thoughtful question!”
Wrufieotnak@feddit.org 3 days ago
Ah okay, thanks for explaining the background. Now I can understand it better.
Is it not possible to use the discussion forums on steam for that translation request?
frenchfrynoob@lemmy.world 3 days ago
“That’s a really good question. I think the honest answer is: most Chinese players just don’t think of Steam forums as the primary way to communicate with developers.
There are a few reasons:
First, Steam is not fully accessible in China without a third-party tool (often called a ‘game accelerator’ or VPN). So the forums — and sometimes even the store page — aren’t something everyone casually browses. It’s not impossible, but it adds a layer of friction.
Second, and I think this is the bigger one: we’re just not used to forum-style communication anymore. For younger Chinese players, the internet culture shifted from forums to apps like WeChat, QQ, or Bilibili a long time ago. Replying in a forum thread, or sending an email, feels like a much more ‘formal’ and slower way to communicate. Leaving a review, on the other hand, is quick, familiar, and doesn’t require switching context.
Third, many Chinese players actually do use reviews as a way to say ‘please add Chinese’ — not out of anger, but because they’ve seen it work before. Developers often respond to review trends faster than forum threads, especially when a game gets sudden attention from a Chinese streamer or YouTuber. That visibility creates pressure, and the developer decides whether the Chinese market is worth investing in. And honestly? Most players understand if the answer is ‘no’ — they’re not demanding, they’re just signaling.
So yes, forums exist. But for most players, a review is just the path of least resistance. Not the most logical path — just the most familiar one.”
Wrufieotnak@feddit.org 3 days ago
Thanks again!
And curse you social media! I want my forums back!
And yeah, while it’s negative for the developers, I can understand that people use the options they have seen to work.