Why are steam discussions so toxic?

[Crassie Wassie]

I like you'll go and suggest the most milquetoast benign pretty good but not original at all idea and you'll get someone to pull up like

"♥♥♥♥ YOU! You're the reason my father left me! You just love sucking on the TEAT of corporations! You... You and your precious feature. I hope you're happy now.. Because when you die.. when you sit in hell confronted by Satan for your atrocities... you will not be smiling."

Like people just ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ ♥♥♥♥ themselves over the most benign frankly fine suggestions lol. It's really weird. Why are steam discussions like this? Cant people just not engage with things they dont personally like but dont really have anything to say aobut it.

Usually it's just something like: "Oh wow. Looks like the circus just hit the discussions page"
And then somebody gets a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ troupe of clowns because the suggested something the devs added 2 days later.

[Crazy Tiger]

For the same reasons discussions outside Steam are toxic as well: human nature.

[Runkel]

Anonymity.
Also it's a game store, tons of edgy children are on this platform.

[Crassie Wassie]

Originally posted by Crazy Tiger:

For the same reasons discussions outside Steam are toxic as well: human nature.

I dont really agree. I've actually had more productive conversations in youtube comments.
Youtube comments aren't exactly known for their high brow conversations and cool headed responses.

Steam Discussions imo have to be one of the most toxic places to voice your opinion on the internet lol.

[Crazy Tiger]

Originally posted by Crassie Wassie:

Originally posted by Crazy Tiger:

For the same reasons discussions outside Steam are toxic as well: human nature.

I dont really agree. I've actually had more productive conversations in youtube comments.
Youtube comments aren't exactly known for their high brow conversations and cool headed responses.

Steam Discussions imo have to be one of the most toxic places to voice your opinion on the internet lol.

I've had loads of productive conversations on the Steam forums as well, much more than I ever seen something useful in Youtube comments.

Reddit is by far worse than both Steam and Youtube combined, lol.

[The nameless Gamer]

I wouldn't make such a blanket statement. This particular hub isn't that bad, nor are specific hubs of smaller games. Far from perfect but also far from the worst places for a discussion. The VAC hub and Off Topic are places you'd be entering at your own peril, at least from my POV.

[Pipe]

Originally posted by Crazy Tiger:

Reddit is by far worse than both Steam and Youtube combined, lol.

and then I hear other steam users mention how the subreddit for their game is less toxic than the steam game hub lol

[Crazy Tiger]

Originally posted by Pipe:

Originally posted by Crazy Tiger:

Reddit is by far worse than both Steam and Youtube combined, lol.

and then I hear other steam users mention how the subreddit for their game is less toxic than the steam game hub lol

It just shows that the common problem human nature is.

[Pipe]

Originally posted by The nameless Commander:

Off Topic are places you'd be entering at your own peril, at least from my POV.

HAH. from my perspective, off topic is less toxic than steam discussions/suggestions and ideas.
if only because the usual people you see in suggestions don't hang around in off topic

(just stay away from political and controversial threads 😅)

[nullable]

Originally posted by Crassie Wassie:

Why are steam discussions so toxic?

Human beings often are. That doesn't end when on a forum.

[Crassie Wassie]

Ya know often times I just tend not to have problems with like reddit or Youtube comments. Granted I dont have an account for reddit and I dont really comment on youtube all that much. Nor do I use discussions much either.

Looking at comments on other people's stuff on those platforms there's a noticeable lack of hostility in comparison. Also human nature isn't toxic, there's plenty of people who are fine chill people. I think people who use steam discussions are uniquely toxic. Or engage with it in a uniquely toxic way.

Like on reddit usually when someone makes a milquetoast very obviously good suggestion, I dont really see people inextricably dog piling them. Maybe one or two toxic people. And a few people who actually engage with the discussion and disagree without making it a personal attack. I dont think i've ever seen a steam discussion that didn't include people being angry at another person.

And people will just say blatantly incorrect things as well. Like they'll offer a solution to a feature which doesn't even exist. Or you said yourself doesn't exist. People on steam discussions seem so eager to call other people stupid, or say skill issue rather than have a discussion.

Someone said earlier in this that it's because this is a gamestore and many people using discussions are angry arrogant teens lol. And while I dont agree with this sentiment I can certainly understand how one could get that impression.

This could all just be my own personal experience with the discussions. Or possibly the discussions i've seen are just bad for that particular game. I mean the people coming here seem to be quite civil and nice.

I dont quite know how to quantify my experience other than saying it's what i've experienced opposed to other experiences.

[Crassie Wassie]

Originally posted by nullable:

Originally posted by Crassie Wassie:

Why are steam discussions so toxic?

Human beings often are. That doesn't end when on a forum.

I dont find most human beings to be toxic. I find them quite pleasant honestly.

[Volfogg]

Originally posted by Crassie Wassie:

Originally posted by nullable:

Human beings often are. That doesn't end when on a forum.

I dont find most human beings to be toxic. I find them quite pleasant honestly.

There is this thing called "facade". You can't just trust everyone. In fact that capability for deception makes people as whole very loathsome species.

[wesnef]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_disinhibition_effect

Combined with the general increase in hostility (both anonymous & in public) over the last 5-10 years.

[IFIYGD]

Originally posted by Pipe:

Originally posted by Crazy Tiger:

Reddit is by far worse than both Steam and Youtube combined, lol.

and then I hear other steam users mention how the subreddit for their game is less toxic than the steam game hub lol

It all depends on where their Tribe is. If their Tribe is mainly a group of people using Steam forums, of course Steam forums will be seen as "better". If their Tribe is mainly a group they identify with that exists on a particular subreddit, of course Reddit will be seen as "better".
Tribalism is alive and well online, and we all feel more comfortable when surrounded by our chosen Tribe. Same goes for Twitter vs Facebook vs Bluesky vs Mastodon vs Gab vs [_insert_any_other_social_media_service_here_].
Pick your Tribe, and fight with every other Tribe that doesn't think like your Tribe, or look like your Tribe, or act like your Tribe, or believe the same things you and your Tribe do.

[Nx Machina]

Thread title: Why are steam discussions so toxic?

Are you exluding your own posts for a particular reason?

Originally posted by Crassie Wassie:

I wrote it... wtf are you on about?
Are you clowning around? being a little goofball? Yanking my chain here?