Steam Achievements Need a Serious Upgrade

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osama good 21 Jun @ 7:05am

Steam Achievements Need a Serious Upgrade

Hi everyone,

I’ve been using Steam for years, and while I love the platform overall, I think it’s time we talk seriously about how underwhelming the achievement system is compared to other platforms like PlayStation and Xbox.

Main Issues:

No XP system, levels, or real rewards for earning achievements.

No satisfying sounds, effects, or recognition when unlocking something.

100% completion feels empty — no badges, cosmetics, or special profile perks.

No motivation for completionists or competitive players.

Worst Part?
There are tons of cheat tools that unlock all achievements instantly. They’re easy to find, use, and there are no consequences. This completely devalues the system for players who actually earn their achievements fairly.

Suggestions:

Add XP and levels based on achievement progress (separate from Steam profile level).

Unlock cosmetic rewards (badges, backgrounds, special showcases, etc.).

Improve the visual/audio feedback when achievements unlock.

Detect or flag suspicious achievement unlocks caused by cheat tools.

Steam is an amazing platform, but this part really needs more love. Let’s give achievements meaning again.

What do you all think?

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Showing 1-15 of 23 comments

AmsterdamHeavy 21 Jun @ 7:24am

Not going to happen. Back to the consoles if these things are important to you.

Mr. Smiles 21 Jun @ 7:26am

"tons of cheat tools"

Y'know, like the console built into the steam client.

Valve don't care about cheevos.

Try PlayStation.

osama good 21 Jun @ 7:27am

Originally posted by AmsterdamHeavy:
Not going to happen. Back to the consoles if these things are important to you.

Never

Steam is my love

ْSmoke™ 21 Jun @ 7:31am

seems to much work for nothing.

cSg|mc-Hotsauce 21 Jun @ 7:45am

Originally posted by osama good:
Detect or flag suspicious achievement unlocks caused by cheat tools.

Steam's own console commands can unlock them.

Wolf Knight 21 Jun @ 7:46am

use the SEARCH next time you have an idea. at least learn what the problems are before suggesting something that is not going to happen.

achievements are very simple. program sends notice to steam server that account X has met the requirements for achievement B. I can give you a save file for a game and guess what happens, all the achievements that save has unlocked get unlocked on your account when you load the save file.

changes to visual or sound is the only thing I would expect from steam, and that is most likely going to be a very very very very low priority (most of us may be worm food before someone at valve starts working on it)

xp for achievements is just free leveling and give the crap achievement spam games developers more incentive to put their copy/paste asset flip games on steam.

if you want rewards for achievements, talk to the game developers about it. they have the ability to reward you if they want

Mickey 21 Jun @ 8:04am

Originally posted by Wolf Knight:
xp for achievements is just free leveling and give the crap achievement spam games developers more incentive to put their copy/paste asset flip games on steam.

↑ Clearly this ↑

We have already a lot of garbage just to unlock free achievements for "fake hunters", dont give bad devs a new way to pick more money.

Electric Cupcake 21 Jun @ 8:08am

At the very least, we should be able to turn that sophomoric crap off completely.

But being able to delete stuff from inventory should come first.

AustrAlien2010 21 Jun @ 8:09am

I do not care about it either.

But if valve doesn't care about game achievements, then why do they spend all their time making these elaborate systems for it?

Last edited by AustrAlien2010; 21 Jun @ 9:07am

Spawn of Totoro 21 Jun @ 8:50am

I think they should be removed as they an not secure. Why have them when people can simply use console commands to unlock them, let alone 3rd party programs. Makes them all more pointless then they already were.

#10

Brian9824 21 Jun @ 9:02am

Originally posted by AustrAlien2010:
I do not care about it either.

But if valve doesn't care about game achievements, then why do they spend all their time making these elaborate systems for it?

There really isn't an elaborate system, they made it years ago and haven't really touched it since. The whole cheating of achievements doesn't hurt anyone else, and for those who like it its fine.

I'm confused why people keep expecting to be rewarded for playing a game. The reward is the game, if you aren't enjoying playing a game and need a reward for playing it then you need to find a new hobby.

#11

AustrAlien2010 21 Jun @ 9:09am

It's the same with people unlocking achievements by using tools because they don't care.
If they don't care, then why are they using tools to unlock them? It goes against basic logic to put effort into something you don't care about.

Last edited by AustrAlien2010; 21 Jun @ 9:10am

#12

Kargor 21 Jun @ 9:35am

Steam will NEVER attach anything "meaningful" to achievements since we're on the PC platform -- so anyone can just cheat their achievements.

Personally, I don't. HOWEVER, if Steam would do something like "get $1 for each game with 100% achievements" -- guess how many of my games would suddenly reach the 100%-achievements mark?

#13

nullable 21 Jun @ 9:41am

Originally posted by osama good:
:GDHarder: Worst Part?
There are tons of cheat tools that unlock all achievements instantly. They’re easy to find, use, and there are no consequences. This completely devalues the system for players who actually earn their achievements fairly.

I don't think it does. I think you're setting yourself up for disappointment by hinging your enjoyment on something on how everyone else values it and whether they treat it the way you want.

Achievements aren't important in the sense if I cheat an achievement, it has no impact on you. They aren't valuable objectively, only subjectively, which is fine. But you might not be owed a system that caters to your perception of achievements. Did you cheat your achievements? No? Then that's all that matters. Achievements are so not important we all believe you 100% if you say you didn't cheat to get any of your achievements. I haven't either.

#14

ReBoot 21 Jun @ 1:19pm

I very much like the quiet feedback for achievements. Just a lil' "FYI, if you're concerned" without it actually getting anywhere near center-stage where the gameplay sits. So no "improvements" for the feedback, please, like, ever.

#15

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Date Posted: 21 Jun @ 7:05am

Posts: 23

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