This game has a lot of positive reviews on Steam, but it hasn't achieved them in the cleanest way

This week, the cooperative shooter titled Far Far West made its debut in early access on Steam, receiving an exceptional reception with an impressive 97% community approval.

However, the game’s presentation has not been without controversy, especially due to one of its characters, Steamy, a mechanical cowboy who acts as a social ‘hub’ within the game.

Is this way of getting reviews a violation?

Steamy has the Steam logo on his face and when interacting with him, players are invited to leave a review of the game, which has led to many critiques mentioning the character. This fact has raised concerns about possible violations of Steam’s policies, specifically regarding the use of characters to promote reviews, a topic that has gained attention in the user community.

Several users have pointed out that Steamy’s behavior could violate the clauses established in the platform’s terms of service. Despite the controversy, this did not prevent Far Far West from appearing on the Steam front page for several hours, which some suggest may have influenced its visibility and high ratings, although the game is no longer featured on that front page.

Despite the fact that developers have not yet issued an official statement on the matter, it has been claimed on their Discord server that they are aware of the problem and plan to address the situation related to Steamy. This type of action can have an impact on the game’s visibility, a crucial aspect on the platform, as the Steam algorithm favors those titles that accumulate positive reviews.

For now, Far Far West is still available on Steam, and although the controversy over Steamy persists, it is likely that the developers are working on a solution.