Following a speech by Larian Studios’ Swen Vincke at The Game Awards, Baldur’s Gate 3 became the target of a review bombing campaign on Steam, led by some Chinese gamers.
The controversy stems from Vincke’s criticism of corporate greed, where he championed games that prioritize creativity and developer well-being over sales. A mistranslation of his comments in China reportedly portrayed Vincke as dismissing the importance of player support through sales, angering some fans.
Others were frustrated that Black Myth: Wukong didn’t win Game of the Year, with Astro Bot taking the honor instead. Since Astro Bot isn’t on Steam, some of this frustration seems to have been redirected toward Baldur’s Gate 3 (a game by Larian Studios, whose founder and CEO, Swen Vincke, presented the GOTY award, with Astro Bot as the winner).
Despite over 500 negative reviews on Steam in a single day, the campaign has had little impact on the game’s overwhelmingly positive rating, with supportive fans countering the backlash with praise for the game’s quality.
This episode highlights the critical role of accurate translations in global gaming communities and raises the question: How do you feel about review bombing as a form of protest in gaming culture? Should platforms take stronger measures to manage these situations?