If you’re a frequent user of Steam, you’ve likely encountered the playful and often humorous user reviews that populate the platform. While these reviews can be entertaining, they are not always helpful for potential buyers who are trying to determine whether a game is worth purchasing. In response to this issue, Valve is introducing a new “Helpfulness System” designed to improve the quality and relevance of reviews on the platform.
The Problem with Current Reviews
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╚══════╝ ╚═╝ ╚══════╝╚═╝ ╚═╝╚═╝ ╚═╝1. Prevalence of Non-Informative Reviews:
- Jokes and Memes: Many user reviews on Steam consist of jokes, memes, and other humorous content. While these can add a fun element to the platform, they often lack substantive information about the game’s quality or gameplay experience. For users trying to make informed purchasing decisions, sifting through these types of reviews can be frustrating and time-consuming.
- ASCII Art and Non-Text Reviews: In addition to jokes and memes, some reviews feature ASCII art or other non-text elements that can be visually appealing but provide little to no insight into the game itself. These types of reviews can clutter the review section, making it difficult for users to find the information they need.
2. Impact on Purchasing Decisions:
- Difficulty in Finding Relevant Information: The prevalence of non-informative reviews can make it challenging for users to find reviews that offer meaningful insights into a game’s strengths and weaknesses. This can hinder their ability to make informed decisions about whether to buy a game.
- Potential for Misleading Impressions: In some cases, joke or meme reviews can create misleading impressions of a game, either by exaggerating its flaws or by presenting it in a way that doesn’t accurately reflect the gameplay experience.
Valve’s Solution: The Helpfulness System
In an effort to address these issues, Valve is testing a new “Helpfulness System” that aims to prioritize reviews based on their usefulness to potential buyers. Here’s how the system works:
1. Prioritizing Helpful Reviews:
- User-Driven Feedback: The Helpfulness System relies on feedback from the community to determine which reviews are considered helpful. Users can vote on whether a review was helpful or not, with the system using this feedback to prioritize reviews that provide valuable information about the game.
- Algorithmic Sorting: Based on user feedback, the system will automatically sort reviews to highlight the most helpful ones at the top of the review section. This ensures that users see the most informative and relevant reviews first, making it easier for them to find the information they need.
2. Reducing the Visibility of Non-Informative Reviews:
- Filtering Out Jokes and Memes: The system is designed to identify and filter out reviews that consist primarily of jokes, memes, or other non-informative content. While these reviews will still be visible on the platform, they will be less prominently displayed, reducing their impact on the review section.
- Focus on Game-Specific Information: By prioritizing reviews that offer detailed insights into the game’s gameplay, graphics, mechanics, and other important aspects, the system helps ensure that users have access to the information they need to make informed decisions.
Benefits of the Helpfulness System
1. Improved User Experience:
- Easier Access to Relevant Information: By prioritizing helpful reviews, the system makes it easier for users to find the information they need to decide whether a game is right for them. This enhances the overall user experience and helps users make more informed purchasing decisions.
- Reduced Clutter: By filtering out non-informative reviews, the system reduces clutter in the review section, making it more organized and user-friendly.
2. Encouragement of Quality Reviews:
- Incentivizing Informative Content: By highlighting reviews that provide valuable information, the system encourages users to write more detailed and informative reviews. This creates a positive feedback loop that benefits both reviewers and potential buyers.
- Community Engagement: The Helpfulness System empowers the community to play an active role in curating the review section, fostering a sense of engagement and ownership among Steam users.
We’ll review the new helpfulness system a solid 5/7
Valve’s new Helpfulness System represents a significant step forward in addressing the challenges posed by jokes, memes, and ASCII art reviews on Steam. By prioritizing helpful and informative reviews, the system enhances the user experience and supports the community in making more informed purchasing decisions. As Valve continues to refine and improve the system based on user feedback, it is poised to become a valuable tool for both developers and gamers alike.
Read more about the new Steam Helpfulness System on their page!