Some game devs lock their hub. If its a free2play that makes less sense but they can still do it.
You may have to ask through their real website why they locked whatever game hub you're trying to get into.

Those who have not purchased here shall find no favor, and the insufferable troublemakers ... who rarely part with coin and buy those games they desperately hate ... are denied voice. Only the worthy remain in this curated den.

Why grant those who fraternized with the enemy, any support? Or pats on the back? Most are not welcome anyway.

But sadly they need to have at least ONE public sub-forums, attracting the rabble poisoning the atmosphere.

Originally posted by Stout:

In order to post in some game forums, why do you have to own that game?

In order to post in some game forums, why do you have to own that game? Is the ability to post in game forums controlled by the publisher/developer?

Because they want to.

All but 1 single sub-forum can be locked to non-owners.

Game devs/pubs.

Originally posted by 󠀡󠀡:

But sadly they need to have at least ONE public sub-forums, attracting the rabble poisoning the atmosphere.

It's not that difficult to understand. People need a place to ask questions about a game before buying it.

Originally posted by Shotgun:

Originally posted by 󠀡󠀡:

But sadly they need to have at least ONE public sub-forums, attracting the rabble poisoning the atmosphere.

It's not that difficult to understand. People need a place to ask questions about a game before buying it.

There is a very big difference between "wanting" and "needing."

When a publisher/developer closes forums to only those owning the game, that seems strange and makes me reconsider whether I would spend to buy their game or games. My understanding is that most forums for games are open to all on Steam. The difference between wanting and needing in terms of games is basically irrelevant when we are on a service that promotes buying games. Open forums are better for game consumers, and there is no need to close discussion from interested gamers.

Originally posted by 󠀡󠀡:

Originally posted by Shotgun:

It's not that difficult to understand. People need a place to ask questions about a game before buying it.

There is a very big difference between "wanting" and "needing."

Fortunately, that difference is not for you to decide.

Because Valve removed the auto-pinned threads feature so the tech support thread, DLC thread, suggestion thread, trading thread, anti-LGBTQ thread, dead game thread wasn't in the forum anymore so people started to post them there themselves.

Given the number of spam posts from people who follow the latest trolling trend in some forums locking them so only people who own the game should be used a lot more than it is. That's given the slow or total lack of moderation there often is.

Originally posted by Stout:

When a publisher/developer closes forums to only those owning the game, that seems strange and makes me reconsider whether I would spend to buy their game or games. My understanding is that most forums for games are open to all on Steam. The difference between wanting and needing in terms of games is basically irrelevant when we are on a service that promotes buying games. Open forums are better for game consumers, and there is no need to close discussion from interested gamers.

That doesn't chsnge that devs can choose to not be open to all.

It doesn't matter what your personal feelings on the subject are. ;)

Originally posted by Stout:

When a publisher/developer closes forums to only those owning the game, that seems strange and makes me reconsider whether I would spend to buy their game or games.

That makes no sense but if you want to go based on that then that is your own choice.

Originally posted by Lithurge:

Given the number of spam posts from people who follow the latest trolling trend in some forums locking them so only people who own the game should be used a lot more than it is. That's given the slow or total lack of moderation there often is.

This would seem right as anytime a new game is released, it's flooded with people trying to stir up drama to award farm.

Now I don't know if that's the reason why, but generally the trolls don't own the game.

Originally posted by Stout:

When a publisher/developer closes forums to only those owning the game, that seems strange and makes me reconsider whether I would spend to buy their game or games. My understanding is that most forums for games are open to all on Steam. The difference between wanting and needing in terms of games is basically irrelevant when we are on a service that promotes buying games. Open forums are better for game consumers, and there is no need to close discussion from interested gamers.

There's always at least one sub-forum which is open to the general public, so to speak. If you have questions to ask about the game before buying, you can ask them without owning the game.