Borderlands 2 rem remains gratis on Steam, yet it's being slammed via reviews due to the EULA issue.
Revised Article:
Borderlands 2 is currently free on Steam until June 8, yet players aren't exactly thrilled. Instead, they're venting their frustration in the age-old gamer tradition – review bombing.
Borderlands 2, released back in 2012 and often hailed as the best in the series, even scoring a 90% in our review, has garnered a surge of negative feedback, pulling down its recent rating to "mostly negative." So, what's got gamers up in arms?
It's not about what Randy Pitchford had to say, but rather Take-Two's recent changes to their EULA – End User License Agreement – that's stirring the pot. Numerous negative Steam reviews claim that Take-Two's games have transformed into "spyware."
This isn't an unprecedented controversy. As we reported in May, it all began in March when a popular Borderlands YouTuber called Hellfire posted a video titled "Take-Two Spies on Borderlands Players," highlIGHTing policy changes made by the publisher earlier in the year. The video pivots on two primary complaints: the collection of personal information such as usernames, IP addresses, phone numbers, operating systems, and a clause that some argue could be manipulated to ban modding or modders.
Following this video and the subsequent claims, review bombs fell hard on the entire Borderlands series on Steam. Despite eventually subsiding, the controversy reignited with Borderlands 2 going free – an astounding 738 negative reviews flooded in just today.
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So there you have it: Borderlands 2 is free on Steam and the ensuing reactions are nothing short of peculiar for such a celebrated shooter. If you're up for it, seize the opportunity while you can.
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Author: Andy ChalkAndy has been gaming on PCs since the dawn of time, starting with text adventures and primitive action games on the humble TRS80. From there, he traversed the golden ages of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and cultivated an enduring passion for RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing game news in 2007 for The Escapist, somehow avoiding getting fired until 2014 when he joined the ranks of PC Gamer. Today he covers diverse aspects of the industry, from game announcements and patch notes to legal squabbles, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Yeah, lots of Henry Cavill.
Additional Insight:
Player backlash over perceived privacy invasions in gaming has resulted in review bombing, most recently affecting the Borderlands series on Steam. Take-Two's updated End User License Agreement (EULA) has raised privacy concerns among the gaming community, particularly with regards to data collection and the potential impact on the modding community.
- As a response to Take-Two's updated End User License Agreement (EULA) and concerns about data collection, negative reviews have flooded Borderlands 2 on Steam, even during its free promotion period, turning the entertainment experience into a game of mass criticism.
- Despite the free promotion, the current season of Borderlands 2 on Steam is infused with unusual tension, as players express their disappointment and privacy concerns through review bombing, affecting the overall entertainment value of the game.
