Restrict discussion forums for games to indviduals who actually own the game

[MissingTarget]

My suggestion/idea is for steam to restrict the ability to post in a products/games discussion forums to individuals/people who actually own the game/product.

I know everyone here has seen the troll discussion posts/fake posts that are currently in almost every single forum for every single game on steam. Out of the troll/clown point farming posts I've seen virtually all of them are being posted by people who do not own the game and are just doing it to either bother people trying to use the forums/discussion posts or to push some odd troll like post to people who own the game/product.

So basically what I think steam should do is if you do not own the game/product you cannot create a post in the discussion forum/post. It would then also be up to steam if they also want to do this for accessing/viewing the discussion forums. It seems like an easy fix to remove most of the troll/bad faith posts that are now circulating in most of the forums.

(Edit - Due to maimew3 providing information I now know this is an option already)

Since this appears to already be an option I'd like to suggest swapping the default setting then from off to on and having the developer make a choice to flag it the other way. I'm 100% sure this would reduce most of the spam/troll posts we are currently seeing the discussion forums.

[miamew3]

Game developers can already do this, they just choose not to.

For example this game does it
https://steamcommunity.com/app/553850/discussions/0/

[MissingTarget]

Originally posted by miamew3:

Game developers can already do this, they just choose not to.

For example this game does it
https://steamcommunity.com/app/553850/discussions/0/

I was not aware this is already a feature. Then I would suggest it be swapped over to be the default setting requiring the developer to change it instead of the current system that has it flagged to off by default.

Also thank you for the information

[Crazy Tiger]

Personally I always find locked game hubs suspicious, anti-consumer and unfriendly to new users. Doesn't matter whether I own the game or not.

And yes, I find those threads annoying as well.

[HikariLight]

Not all users have the Steam version.
Some may have the PlayStation, Xbox, PC game pass, or Switch version of the game and allowing the hub forum open to all allows those users to find help if they need it.

[Бобок]

What a ridiculous offer. This is the games STORE, potential customers can use discussion boards to ask questions about the GAME before buying it. That happens on each and every non-hyped game forum which you probably don’t visit.

You meant to restrict trolls and offtopers, but somehow came out with a suggestion to restrict customers.

[metamec]

The "forums have gone to ♥♥♥♥ problem," does need addressing by Valve, but I don't think this is the way. It would just shift and exacerbate the situation in forums unrelated to specific products, such as this one, Steam Discussions, Steam Community and Off Topic.

OT in particular is extreme already with the bait and attention seeking accounts.

[Start_Running]

Originally posted by MissingTarget:

Originally posted by miamew3:

Game developers can already do this, they just choose not to.

For example this game does it
https://steamcommunity.com/app/553850/discussions/0/

I was not aware this is already a feature. Then I would suggest it be swapped over to be the default setting requiring the developer to change it instead of the current system that has it flagged to off by default.

Also thank you for the information

WHy?
The fact that it is the default to leave open reflects that the vast majority of devs prefer to have their forums open to all. Because most know the forums are where prospective buyers come to ask questions.

Originally posted by Crazy Tiger:

Personally I always find locked game hubs suspicious, anti-consumer and unfriendly to new users. Doesn't matter whether I own the game or not.

And yes, I find those threads annoying as well.

Ditto,.

Originally posted by metamec:

The "forums have gone to ♥♥♥♥ problem," does need addressing by Valve, but I don't think this is the way. It would just shift and exacerbate the situation in forums unrelated to specific products, such as this one, Steam Discussions, Steam Community and Off Topic.

OT in particular is extreme already with the bait and attention seeking accounts.

Everyone who says this is part of the sewage problem.

[metamec]

You spend more of your days wading through it than me, so I guess I'll bow to your charming expertise.