Players ask Xbox to improve Store reviews with filters and visible playtime

The Xbox community wants a new review system with hours played and better filters.

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The debate over video game reviews on the Xbox Store has been ongoing, but in recent days, it has regained momentum among gaming communities. Many players feel that open reviews (without filters, requirements, or verification of actual gameplay) no longer provide useful information. Some even claim that they have become a space where noise takes precedence over real experience.

This situation affects both independent titles and lesser-known games within services like Xbox Game Pass. What players are asking for is not to eliminate reviews, but to strengthen them with tools that allow for distinguishing between authentic and provocative content.

A clear proposal: reviews based on gameplay hours and actual game ownership

The solution could be as simple as adopting a model similar to Steam’s. There, before publishing a review, the system verifies two things:

• Gameplay hours

• If the game is owned by the user

This prevents a title from receiving negative reviews from people who haven’t tried it or don’t intend to. The idea is to implement something similar on consoles, adding indicators like total gameplay time, whether the game is purchased or comes from a subscription service, and filters that hide reviews without verifiable activity.

Many of these complaints stem from recent situations where small games on the Store have received low ratings unrelated to their content, but rather due to external campaigns or users who simply haven’t tried them. For the community, a more transparent system would help reviews become a useful tool for discovering games again, rather than a space for hate or trending topics.