Blue Archive, after a successful four-year run as a mobile exclusive, made its much-anticipated debut on Steam earlier this month. The launch appeared promising, with the game quickly amassing over 20,000 concurrent players and receiving more than 10,000 reviews on the platform. However, a recent controversy has emerged surrounding the launch, stemming from a now-removed post on Nexon’s forum.
In-Game Review Incentives Raise Eyebrows
The developer had organized an in-game event that encouraged players to leave reviews on Steam, a practice that is explicitly prohibited by Steamworks documentation. According to the event’s description, players were promised five Gift Choice Boxes and five Beautiful Bouquets in-game if the review count reached the milestone of 10,000. This event was scheduled to run from July 4 to July 11, but it has since vanished from the game interface.
Interestingly, the Steam reviews have surpassed Nexon’s initial target of 10,000, raising questions about the integrity of the review process. A vigilant user on the Steam forums pointed out that the Steamworks guidelines clearly state that developers must not “abuse or artificially manipulate the review system” nor “solicit reviews in exchange for any games, DLC, money, or other rewards.” The only exceptions noted are for sending copies of the game to press or creators for previews or reviews, and developers are discouraged from requesting reviews directly within the game.
In the realm of gaming, Blue Archive is categorized as a tactical RPG with gacha elements, utilizing a random draw system where players use in-game currency, Pyroxene, to recruit characters. Limited recruitment events can enhance the drop rates for specific characters, encouraging players to invest more Pyroxene in hopes of obtaining their desired anime character.
Blue Archive is not alone in capturing the attention of gamers on Steam. Following its release, Umamusume: Pretty Derby has also seen significant success, peaking at over 50,000 concurrent players, further highlighting the growing popularity of anime-themed games on the platform.
