Review-bombing is known on Steam and other platforms often linked with negative reviews. However, a developer currently faces the opposite problem: there are too many positive voices that do not appear to be genuine.
Which game is it about? On February 11, 2026, the life simulation Starsand Island was released on Steam (and in Game Pass). The game can be most closely compared to Animal Crossing or Harvest Moon. You build your island, form partnerships, and live
in a cozy world designed by you.
Although the game is still in Early Access, it has received 87% positive reviews on Steam with 2,591 ratings. However, it seems that the developers are not entirely pleased with the positive feedback.
In a statement, the Chinese developer Seed Sparkle Lab asks to stop using fake
reviews, even if they are not negative.
Developers want to focus on the game
What do the developers say about the reviews? On Steam, the developers released a statement regarding the fake
reviews for the game. According to the post, they have noticed a large number of positive comments about Starsand Island on various platforms.
At first, they thought the game was simply well received, but some of the comments seemed unusual: there are many reviews after only very short playtime, which appeared closely together in time. In the post, they suspect AI-generated reviews.
Although they have no proof, it feels like a deliberate strategy. Another strange aspect is that one has to buy the game in order to leave a review. According to the post, some accounts have returned the game after leaving a review. In the end, they say:
We want to clarify: Developing an indie game is not easy. We simply want to focus on developing a good product and providing a better experience for players who truly enjoy our game. So, whoever is behind this, please stop. Please let us develop our game in peace. We pose no threat to anyone.
Seed Sparkle Lab on unusual reviews (Source: Steam)
Why can even positive reviews be harmful? When accounts with very short playtime or unusual statements, possibly generated by AI, post reviews, it can quickly lead players to think the developer is fabricating them.
If one wishes to remove these fake reviews, it is likely to cost the developer time that could be spent on further developing the game.
Are there only positive reviews? Even though most reviews on Steam have been positive so far, there are also negative voices. Some players report bugs, such as quests being uncompletable. VillainQueen (via Steam) feels that the game has great potential but currently has some issues.
Also, starlit_scarlett (via Steam) generally likes the game but finds the behavior of the developers suspicious
. She considers the anti-cheat in a single-player game unnecessary and criticizes the day-one DLC, which costs €19.50.
If you want to try it yourself, you will pay only €27.29 instead of €38.99 on Steam until February 25. Developers are in constant communication with players and the market, but just a few seconds can lead to a game failing: “We deserved a failure without schadenfreude” – Highguard is the fatal miscalculation of a market fueled by anger
