The Sentinel Network is an alliance of Steam curators and advocacy groups working together to uphold integrity, transparency, and ethical standards across the Steam platform.

We’re a resource-sharing, collaborative network built to amplify the voices of trusted curators, provide mutual support, and champion consumer-first values in gaming. Together, we investigate shady practices, promote honest curation, and support initiatives that benefit the wider Steam community.

Our founding groups include:

• Sentinels of the Store — Advocating for consumer rights and ethical practices across Steam.
  
  
• Charity Games — Spotlighting games that give back, supporting charitable causes through gaming.
  
  
• Review Bomb Tracking — Monitoring, analysing, and reporting review bomb trends to maintain fair visibility.
  
  
• Games With Paid Reviews — Exposing paid review manipulation to keep curation honest and transparent.
  
  
• Dr Chopper's Neuro Clinic - Curating games that are friendly to people who are prone to seizures and have epilepsy.

https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/groups/Sentinels_of_the_Store/announcements/detail/813567935677204766

Originally posted by Shattered mind:

I think this is worthy of another SOS announcement btw.

I agree

Hey all,

The game has made some news headlines today as it was confirmed to contain malware. Steam have sent emails out today to affected users.

I'll be issuing a group statement on the game tomorrow.

https://x.com/SteamDB/status/1889610974484705314

Originally posted by Selective Oblivion:

EDIT: And after writing this.. .I noticed I hadn't page refreshed or read Mellow's reply. lol
Regardless, I hope this opinion of mine is helpful vs just complainy. ;)

Agreed. Unhelpful. Every 1 word or "Good/Bad game" type reviews I always down vote.
They simply are not helpful.

Whomever wrote the "review" needs spoken with.

Very unhelpful and imonsho makes SotS look bad with a exceedingly short and undescribed review like that. We need verbosity and reasons behind critical statements. Not to be confused with Mansplaining. ;)

Also "Troll Game" could mean anything. I immediately though Tower Defense which this game obviously is not. Though... would be an entertaining and very possibly funny take on things. lol

When writing I highly suggest everything always be written for the lowest common denominator within the target audience. For games like this, that would be a 10 year old with a 6-7th grade reading level.

Many full grown adults never reach that reading level, so this isn't intended to be read as insulting. The lowest common denominator in this case would also include new people, very young and elderly, to the Steam platform. Basically keep it simple but don't expect the reader to have enough experience or history to understand any short speak.

A mature, balanced yet critical post. Enjoy the points!

Yes, will be rectifying it this evening, agreed with everything raised! Thanks for the input!

Hi Kazerniel,

Yes, apologies, that curator was put up in a hurry amidst some other things, and the link that was meant to go in to elaborate mustn't have saved. Will rectify that shortly.

In short, it's a game that's planning to release to mock the development of a Twitter user and game dev Grummz and the troubled development of his currently unreleased title "Em-8er" and the game has been released as, in the developers' own words "a shitpost" to troll Grummz.

As usual with our curations, they aren't driven by personal opinions and are informational to supply more context for end users...however I am looking forward to trying it out day one 🙂

Originally posted by Shattered mind:

if Valve don't want to do the bare minimum of quality control, then it falls on us to report it, and make them aware that there's an issue.

The quality of the game isn't a reportable offense.

And in cases like this, we the users can't uphold other people's copyright. We can of course share information and alert users (particularly in cases such as the asset theft for those 2 space games back in December and the recent Itch game that got straight up stolen) but even in those instances, Steam won't take them down because of user reports: they need a DMCA notice from the copyright holder. Best thing to do is contact the rights holders and allow them to make the evaluation.

Originally posted by Shattered mind:

Originally posted by Mellow_Online1:

Games should only be reported for violating ToS, CoC or equivalents. We should not enter into reporting games just because we personally don't like the quality of them.

did you visit the page?
it's blatant rip-off with most of the UI elements and the entire gameplay being ripped from Balatro.... I don't want it reported for being shit(though it's also that) but because I don't condone creative bankrupt "devs" more or less wholesale stealing/re-skinning another game, in a way that should clearly be protected by copyright law.

Being a rip-off/clone is not against Steam rules. You've got games like CastleMiner Z being a clone of Minecraft, and even Stardew Valley being a rip off of Harvest Moon. Rip/off, clones or taking inspiration from other games doesn't always mean the game will be bad, nor does it mean rights are being violated.

I typically move Sentinels away from looking at games in a "qualitative" aspect, because it just leads to disagreement and distracts from the bigger issues in my opinion. One man's trash is another's treasure and all that, and I don't want thos to be a group that tells people what they should and shouldn't enjoy playing, but rather supply information that I think is worth knowing to help influence buying decision. Stuff that isn't clear on the surface. I trust the end user to make the judgement on if the game they're seeing is something that's worth their time.

This game, doesn't even look like a Balatro clone to me. It uses the same deck of cards that's been used in many a game before, but that's about it.

Best thing to do, if you think that there's a case, get in touch with the Balatro devs on their support email if you think there's a case of patent infringement. This is something that cannot be reported by users (as with all copyright infringement) as Steam only take action if they get a direct report from the copyright/trademark/patent holder (understandably, because Steam are not responsible for enforcing other people's IP rights, as it leads to legal problems for Steam if they're wrong.) Let the Balatro devs make the judgement on their side if its something worth clamping down on.

Games should only be reported for violating ToS, CoC or equivalents. We should not enter into reporting games just because we personally don't like the quality of them.

Hi all!

Happy new year to you all!

Sentinels of the Store are opening the new year looking for a second writer to come on board our team. Please find our callout below:


Are you passionate about gaming, digital storefronts, and consumer advocacy? Are you keen to be a frontal force for change on the largest digital store front? Do you have a keen eye for detail and strong writing skills? Sentinels of the Store is looking for a dedicated Writer & Group Administrator to help shape our future!

About Us
Sentinels of the Store is committed to ensuring transparency, fairness, and a better experience for users on digital gaming platforms, with a primary focus on Steam. We track store updates, highlight issues, and advocate for improvements that benefit consumers and developers alike.

The Role
As our Writer & Administrator, you will:
✅ Create and manage written content – This includes news updates, advocacy pieces, and reports on Steam-related developments.
✅ Oversee group activities – Keep discussions organized, moderate content, and help ensure the group remains focused and engaged.
✅ Collaborate with the community – Engage with members, source feedback, and contribute to group initiatives.
✅ Maintain accuracy – Ensure all information is well-researched, balanced, and informative.

What We're Looking For
🔹 Strong writing and research skills.
🔹 A good understanding of Steam and digital storefront dynamics.
🔹 Ability to work independently and stay organized.
🔹 Passion for consumer advocacy and digital rights.
🔹 Previous experience in moderation or community management is a plus but not required.

Interested?
If you’d like to be part of Sentinels of the Store and help shape our advocacy efforts, we’d love to hear from you! Please fill in this short Google Form[docs.google.com] if you'd like to express interest, and we will be in touch!

Please note this is a volunteer position. Ideal for a writer looking to work with a small team and also access a new audience. The work is very casual and flexible.

Deadline for form applications will be midnight GMT on January 29th. Good luck to all applicants!