Steam made something of a splash recently when the Valve declared that user reviews for games obtained via product keys rather than through Steam specifically would no longer be averaged into the game’s overall review score or displayed on the game’s page. The former clause is still in effect, but the latter has been rolled back; players will now see the full spread of reviews, including those that were obtained via product keys. The scores will still remain out of the mix, however.
Valve is also looking to crack down on reviews that are made specifically to bring down a game’s rating without appreciable substance. The original change came as an effort to counter studios inflating a game’s review score via free product keys; unfortunately, it also shuts out players who obtained their product key as a Kickstarter backer or from the legitimate Humble Bundle.
