Comment on [deleted]
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.