Question Poll for Science. What is the most common reason you upvote/downvote a Steam user review?

[ZedClampet]

Continuing my quest to learn what Steam user reviews mean...

Today's theory is that upvotes/downvotes are more meaningful if the person voting has played the game (not counting reviews simply meant to be funny), but the question is, when are we voting on these reviews? I know that I mostly fit into the unhelpful 3rd category, although I often will go back after finishing a game and upvote what I think are the best reviews.

Depending how this goes, I may need a second poll without the third option.

(This would be completely invalid for serious inquiry because I've poisoned the apple with my comment )

 

[Frindis]

I'm between 1 & 3. I might give an award for a good review, but I also give awards when the reviews are just dumb/funny. But I rarely look at Steam reviews if I have already played the game. One of the few reasons would be if I wanted to see if other people have had problems with a new patch or similar, but even then, Reddit is a much better place just because of being slightly better structured when you plow through the comments and replies.

 

[Brian Boru]

I'm between 1 & 3

Yep, I also voted #2

But 'agree/disagree with the review' doesn't apply. My review reading is almost exclusively before playing a game, part of the Wishlist, Follow or Ignore decision.

I upvote helpful info;
I leave okay reviews alone—these might have 1-2 nuggets I find helpful;
I downvote unhelpful ones.

No surprise a large majority of mine are downvotes. I also give awards to significantly helpful reviews—but not to ASCII cats.

 

[Pifanjr]

I need an option for "I do not vote on Steam reviews".

I think I might have voted once or twice because I happened to see the button after reading a good or funny review, but I'm typically not even aware of the up- or downvote buttons.

 

[ZedClampet]

My science is failing

 

[BeardyHat]

Maybe it's my general negative attitude (swear I'm working on it), but I usually only downvote stuff on Steam and usually when it's dumb, egregious bullshit: "Game Gud" or some other nonsense like that.

I often read reviews, I just forget the other interactions. But I suppose that's the same for me anywhere; I almost always forgot to upvote or downvote on reddit and I consistently forget to "Smash that Like Button" here.

 

[Zloth]

(This would be completely invalid for serious inquiry because I've poisoned the apple with my comment )

That's nothing a good prince can't deal with!

I'll downvote reviews that are totally unhelpful - especially if they are taking up the "most helpful" review section. If they are funny, I'll give them the funny response. I'll downvote reviews that are inaccurate, too, positive or negative. (And I'll comment on them if Steam will let me, though it rarely does.)

 

[ElvenNeko]

I do not downvote since it seems to be a waste of time, but i mostly upvote if it's informative, and author goes into details of why he likes or dislikes the game. Sometimes very little things matter the most, like, for example, 99 people who played for some time might be happy with game, but that 1 player who reached endgame and found major disbalance ignored by the developers will give the information that the game will not be worth investing your time in.

Also sometimes i upvote the good jokes because i like them.

 

[Colif]

I need an option for "I do not vote on Steam reviews".

okay

I had noticed the one choice I would make didn't exist... before.