Reddit has been abuzz over the weekend with posts showing Starfield developer Bethesda diving into the negative reviews on Steam for Starfield. While the gaming community is genuinely stunned, other game developers say this is not new.
They are also doing the same thing with their franchises as well.
One of the first to admit to this practice is Dillon Rogers, who created the games Gloomwood and Dusk. In his X post, he said that his company had been doing that for “a few years now.”
He said developer responses can be constructive in turning around most negative reviews, as some players appreciate being informed of what the developer is doing to address a specific issue or bug.
Jasper Cole of Backpack Hero also told IGN that they do the same thing to let players know that they care and are actively working to resolve bugs and other concerns the individual might have about the game.
Cole, however, said that doing so takes a toll on him and the team in charge of addressing this negative feedback.
On the other hand, SMG Studio chief Ashley Ringrose says that they interact with audience feedback mainly to address misinformation, which negatively impacts the game’s score and visibility on the Google Play Store.
A Bethesda rep was observed making rounds last week, replying to negative comments on Steam. One reply even told the user that, while planets on Starfield have been intentionally made barren, they are certainly not boring.
They even reminded the player that the astronauts were not bored when they visited the Moon - a statement lifted directly from an interview with Todd Howard and Ashley Cheng.
- READ MORE - Starfield ‘Loses Steam’ at Steam