Valve has rolled out an update to Steam that includes language-specific ratings
On August 18, 2025, Valve introduced a modification to Steam's user review system, now offering language-specific feedback to more accurately reflect the preferences of its users. This update was detailed in a news release, emphasizing Steam's commitment to assisting consumers in making better purchasing choices.
Previously, Steam's review scores were calculated based on positive feedback from a worldwide audience, presenting an overall review score for each game, such as 'mostly positive' or 'mixed.' This update, however, ensures that review scores are now presented based on reviews in a user's primary language, particularly for games with over 2,000 visible reviews and at least 200 reviews in one specific language.
The company set these conditions deliberately higher than the previous requirement of ten reviews needed for an overall score to ensure the reliability of language-specific scores. As a result, different languages may yield different review scores for the same game, highlighting diverse user experiences.
Valve illustrated this transformation with an example: in July 2025, The Sims 4 showed a 'Very Positive' rating for recent reviews globally. Now, the page displays an English language review rating of 'Very Positive,' replacing the previous global score.
The adjustment aims to capture nuanced experiences users may encounter based on factors like language translation, cultural nuances, or technical issues, which the global scores previously couldn't reflect. With this system, Valve hopes to give potential customers insights more tailored to their specific linguistic groups.
Additional functionalities have been provided, allowing users to examine the review scores available in different languages and compare them with the global score, accessible through the language breakdown feature in the reviews section. Users who prefer the older global review system can revert to it through their settings.
Valve has emphasized its commitment to transparency, recognizing that alterations to user reviews may draw inspection and concerns about motives. Ensuring user trust remains essential, which is why several user review features can be modified, granting access to unaltered reviews in various formats.