The Steam Deck community needs to share their thoughts on how games run on Valve's handheld PC because the current system isn't working well.
Many great Steam Deck games don't have verified ratings and some don't have any ratings at all. That's because the system for rating games is, at best, inconsistent. A big reason the Steam Deck still remains the best handheld gaming PC is its operating system and game ratings, but the former is becoming increasingly unreliable, which means it's time for a change.
I think the solution to Valve’s game rating system is simple: let the community have a say. I am not proposing getting rid of the current system, but if an extra level is added to it, giving game owners the right to vote on what level they think a game should be rated at, we’ll have a more accurate system. This would also prevent a situation like Spider-Man 2 on Steam Deck where the verified rating was taken down.
Currently, if a game is given an ambiguous rating but does a good job, there are a few ways to deal with it. First, the developer can leave a comment giving context as to why the rating is the way it is, as was done by Ghost of Tsushima Developments due to a problem with Legends. Next, you can visit communities like Reddit to see what other players think. Finally ProtonDB is a tool created by users that helps check compatibility for Linux and Steam Deck.
The problem is that these all exist outside of the Steam ecosystem, which means it takes extra effort to find them, and when deck owners see that a game is unsupported, many assume it's true.
In an ideal world, the ProtonDB integration would be the preferred approach. It would display the rating (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Native, etc.) given to a game, but also encourage gamers to share their experiences on the platform to improve the accuracy of the data. The issue is one of validity as it is possible to rate a game even if you don’t own it.
This is why the community input layer, as set up by Valve would be a more practical approach. A simple survey with a few questions asked after playing a game on Steam Deck could quickly improve the quality of Valve’s rating system.
This is done to confirm that you own the game on Steam Deck or have played it on there. From there the survey asks the question Do you agree with the rating assigned? It is as simple as it can be before asking What rating would you give the game? Ask for follow-ups like.
If Valve sees a trend that a game is being pushed towards a rating much higher than its current rating it can retest based on community feedback. This feedback from players can also be passed on to the developers who have the option of acting on it by changing the games rating or letting the community's input guide them to provide players with the best experience possible with the game.
This will help avoid problems like Horizon Forbidden West, where the game is unsupported according to the Steam Deck rating system but is actually given a Gold rating by ProtonDB.
The current system is defended by saying that some strict rules must be followed, even if community feedback is allowed. The idea that a game does not need to verify changes to graphical settings is essential. Verification is a concept that needs to be protected, and the idea that nothing more is asked of the player when a verified game starts, except to enjoy the game so that he or she can have an optimal experience, is ideal.
It is not perfect but asking the passionate Steam Deck community for help, despite the system's criticism shows a strong desire to improve. With the potential release of Steam Deck 2. this is a key issue Valve should focus on.
0 Comments