Valve Boots Insel Games' Portfolio Over Reviews Manipulation - Guardians of Ember - MMORPG.com

SBFord

Valve Boots Insel Games' Portfolio Over Reviews Manipulation - Guardians of Ember - MMORPG.com

Guardians of Ember News - Steam has removed all of Insel Games' titles from its platform as a result of an investigation into review rating manipulation. Valve said that Insel had been involved in making multiple Steam accounts to post positive reviews for its own games. "This is a clear violation of our review policy and something we take very seriously." the post reads.

Read the full story here

SBFord

They got caught, but very much doubt they're the only company that does this.

Eldrach

Guess that was the end for that company. Their games are not good, but they should at least have acted with solidarity

Vrika

Good that Valve removed them, but I don't think it's enough. The company should also get some kind of official penalty for deceptive advertising.

Erinak1

Vrika said:

Good that Valve removed them, but I don't think it's enough. The company should also get some kind of official penalty for deceptive advertising.

Its not like Valve has that power, though.

Hugor49

I know I shouldn't but I can't help feeling some pity as this is most probably the end of Insel Games and people's jobs. I played Guardians of Ember for 85 hours or so and enjoyed it but it was obvious that the game was struggling - the mods and devs were very active on the forums helping people out with any issues or questions but they just couldn't get a playerbase of more than 100 concurrent players.

I played the beta for Wild Busters and even though it's an OK game I knew the graphics were too outdated for a new game to bring a decent playerbase in.

I don't think there's anything they can do now.

LeFantome

Insel : The end.

pureremedy

Damn that desperate huh im glad this happen so that other developers will think twice before pulling overall crap like this

SBFord

Thing is though @pureremedy that they're hardly the only company to do such a thing. I'm sure most do. What I find inexplicably weird is that an employee would post the internal document with the CEO's request for employee reviews...did they not know that will likely sink the company?

While I think it's a silly thing to do, Insel is far from the only and certainly not the worse abuser of the system.

Renoaku

R.I.P Now if only Steam would remove "DENUVO" DRM Based games which does nothing to prevent piracy, but negatively impacts performance even if just by 1% all these games should be removed from the Steam platform.

Scot

SBFord said:

They got caught, but very much doubt they're the only company that does this.

But if they all do it, does it not then even out?

LeFantome

SBFord said:

Thing is though @pureremedy that they're hardly the only company to do such a thing. I'm sure most do. What I find inexplicably weird is that an employee would post the internal document with the CEO's request for employee reviews...did they not know that will likely sink the company?

.

Because the employee find that unethical ? Maybe he got fired last week and a friend sent him this email as, hey bud, look at what the boss is asking ? We don't know.
But I'm glad he did it.
In any case, I'm also glad they got cought and there is literally no excuses for Insel .

As you said twice, you doubt they're the only company that does this. In this case, that doesnt matter at all.

AlexanderVendi

I got this game for free about ..a year ago? played it for 5 mins.

Eldrach

I find indie developers admirable, but they need to make a good product, this form of conduct is misleading advertising

RemyVorender

Hmm. Let's see if I can get that refund now

Albatroes

Should remove the games that purposely remove negative comments about games on their forums as well but then Steam would actually have tens of thousands of less games on it so we can't have that!

FrodoFragins

Vrika said:

Good that Valve removed them, but I don't think it's enough. The company should also get some kind of official penalty for deceptive advertising.

having all of your games removed from steam is pretty devastating to a small dev

FrodoFragins

I don't quite understand the problem with this part though

"I am asking you either to do the following: Buy the game and present me the receipt until Friday night for which you will be reimbursed within 24h or explain to me tomorrow why you do not wish to do this"

Reimbursing your employees for buying the game isn't wrong is it? And neither is asking them to write a review, which they may do from work I suppose. Unless steam has a rule against devs rating their own games.

Making them come to you and explain why you don't want to do that is shady as F#%@ though

I guess I need more information here.

Delondial

Pretty harsh, but then I suppose it's a gibbeting meant to serve as a warning to others.

JeffSpicoli

ITS THE RUSSIANS!!! 

ScottJeslis

SBFord said:

They got caught, but very much doubt they're the only company that does this.

I believe this happens more often then not. Think I'm more upset that "he" (?) pretty much forcing the employees to buy a copy (I know they would technically be reimbursed, but still).

ACommonMugger

DMKano said:

Delondial said:

Pretty harsh, but then I suppose it's a gibbeting meant to serve as a warning to others.

Not harsh at all.

Valve knows that the integrity (or appearence of integrity) is a huge deal to steam users - and it directly affects players "trust" in Steam.

I laughed so hard at this. You're lying to yourself if you think Valve is working hard towards the appearance of integrity based on the number of garbage titles released on steam on a daily basis.

JeffSpicoli

Vrika said:

Good that Valve removed them, but I don't think it's enough. The company should also get some kind of official penalty for deceptive advertising.

Calm your jets, They posted a few positive reviews its not like they were embezzling millions of dollars from elderly dementia patients....

Heretique

Have to make an example of someone, good riddance.

Tiamat64

halfmystic said:

DMKano said:

Delondial said:

Pretty harsh, but then I suppose it's a gibbeting meant to serve as a warning to others.

Not harsh at all.

Valve knows that the integrity (or appearence of integrity) is a huge deal to steam users - and it directly affects players "trust" in Steam.

I laughed so hard at this. You're lying to yourself if you think Valve is working hard towards the appearance of integrity based on the number of garbage titles released on steam on a daily basis.

Isn't that the point of the reviews in the first place, though?

timeraider

#theirgameswereshitanyway