Time to reflect

This creator has been an outspoken critic of TFP and 7DTD for a while, going so far as to admit on his channel on multiple occasions that the only reason he plays the game is because it's what his channel was originally built on and he would lose viewers if he stopped playing it. His opinion is hardly what I would describe as that of the "core player base".

Does 2.0 have it's issues? Yes. Have TFP been reading feedback? Yes. Are they responding to that feedback? Yes. What the actual F do you expect to gain from this post? What can be done is being done.
And rightfully so... If you cant see it then all i can say is you are blinded by worshiping the dev team.
Just because you have labeled him an outspoken critic does not mean he is wrong...

Lets look at your statement- "His opinion is hardly what I would describe as that of the "core player base"."
If you going by the "core base" that hang around here its clear there are gatekeepers skewing the view of reality. If you go outside to reddit/facebook/X (any other forum or social media) you will find very quickly that this issue has been growing for a long time. At the end of the day i love this game and still continue to play. I want to see the game succeed and at times in the past just turned a blind eye to the direction the dev team is going. Not my game not my choice.

I see the current state of the game at a major cross roads that would see the end of development for the game that will impact everyone. Coming from experience in 3 decades in bringing products to the market you are watching the death of a product. And the only actions that can change its path is in the dev teams hands.

The reason for posing here is to add quality feedback so the dev team dont get stuck listening to the bandwagon crowd that predominantly parrot their fav streamer. Obtain a better understanding of the core issue as to how they ended up in this situation giving them the chance to save their revenue stream.
 
I have the same problem with OP, and Prebuilt for that matter. Nothing against him, but I find his content too negative for my tastes. There's critique and just... obviously hating something / bashing it constantly.
Thats a fare critique.
Without writing a full novel you got the doom and gloom.
Post automatically merged:

Can someone explain the shift from people suggesting ways to improve the game to then the same people saying TFP shouldn't change anything because you can't make everyone happy?

I don't understand why everything has to be zero sum. Why can't people who are still not happy admit that the town hall did some things right and the people who didn't want changes admit that there were people looking for and suggesting changes after 2.0?

Every thread inetivably devolves into shouting matches on why everything they say is wrong because of reasons not pertaining to the changes they are asking to keep or remove.

If you enjoyed the game and don't want change what change did you not like? If you want more change what is it and why would that be good? Then discuss those topics. Not general statements on why one person is more right than another.
Unfortunately in this world there is little inability to understand others views. Just look around its in politics, culture and consumes daily life.
To navigate it you need to cater to their ego's and feelings. Remove all aspects of logic and reasoning.
 
Coming from experience in 3 decades in bringing products to the market you are watching the death of a product.

Leave or stay as you like. This game will still be alive and well in another 10 years. Doom and gloom crystal ball readers like you have been around since December 2013 when I bought the game and started following the forums. There was someone just like you predicting the death of the game by the end of 2014. <shrug>

I don’t believe you and others like you when you just ask to make things optional and you’ll be happy. You proved the falseness of that claim with 2.0 when you threw the optional settings back in TFPs face as some sort of sign that not even the devs were confident of their design. Nice.

I’m glad TFP is going to refine the 2.0 features with community feedback in mind. I’m also glad they are working to finish the game and then move on to something else. I’m confident if they stay the course and stick to their current path making balance adjustments as necessary based on customer feedback the game will continue to succeed and live. There is no need to go backwards.
 
Ok to remove all biased aspect i thought i would let Ai do an in depth analysis. used my API to push it out to Grok/chatgpt/gemini/deepseek
then asked it to combine and summarize the conclusion.

Community Backlash and Steam Rating DeclineOverview of Backlash:

The 7 Days to Die community has been vocal about their dissatisfaction with the game’s direction post-1.0 release (July 2024) and subsequent updates (V2.0, V2.1, V2.2). Key points of contention include:

Slow Updates and Content Focus:
Players criticize the game for receiving only one major update per year, often focusing on new Points of Interest (POIs) rather than fixing core issues like combat mechanics, hitboxes, or weapon feel. Some describe updates as "half-baked" or "garbage."

Shift in Gameplay:
The transition from a flexible survival sandbox to a more rigid RPG with mechanics like magazine-based progression, biome-specific zombie spawners, and nerfed survival systems (e.g., water collection, farming) has alienated some fans who feel it’s no longer the game they loved.

Bugs and Technical Issues:
Persistent bugs, such as save corruption (addressed in V2.1), poor hitboxes, and outdated mechanics like crosshairs in scoped aiming, have fueled frustration.

Perceived Developer Disconnect:
Many players feel The Fun Pimps prioritize their vision over community feedback, implementing changes that restrict playstyles and ignoring calls for modding support or core mechanic improvements.


Steam Rating Decline:

As of July 2025, 7 Days to Die’s Steam rating has dropped from "Very Positive" (83% positive from 6,300 recent reviews in July 2024) to "Mixed" due to a surge in negative reviews.

A Reddit post from July 17, 2025, highlighted this shift, noting 114 votes and 54 comments reflecting community discontent. Players expressed hope that the rating drop would prompt The Fun Pimps to address concerns, though some doubt the developers will respond.

Negative reviews often cite the game feeling like a "chore," with "brain-dead mechanics" and a loss of the original sandbox appeal. Some recommend playing earlier versions or modded versions instead of the current vanilla V2.1.


Likelihood of Returning to Mostly Positive ReviewsBased on my analysis of gaming community trends and 7 Days to Die’s history, here’s an estimation of the likelihood of the game returning to a "Mostly Positive" Steam rating (typically 70-79% positive):

Estimated Probability: 30-40% within the next 6-12 months (by mid-2026).

Factors Supporting Recovery:

Historical Resilience:
Despite a decade of early access and prior controversies (e.g., slow development, console version issues), the game maintained a strong player base, peaking at over 100,000 concurrent players on Steam in April 2024 after the 1.0 announcement. This shows a loyal fanbase that could rally if improvements are made.

Developer Response Potential:
The Fun Pimps have a history of addressing some community feedback, such as fixing save corruption in V2.1. If they tackle major pain points (e.g., combat, hitboxes, or survival mechanics) in upcoming updates (e.g., V2.3 or beyond), positive sentiment could rebound.

Modding Community:
The game’s modding scene is robust, and players often mitigate issues by modding. If developers enhance modding support, as suggested by some community posts, this could appease players who prefer customized experiences.


Challenges to Recovery:

Deep-Seated Frustration:
The backlash reflects long-term dissatisfaction with development priorities and perceived developer arrogance. Negative reviews from players with thousands of hours (not just new players) indicate a core fanbase losing faith, which is harder to recover.

Competition:
Other survival games like Rust (which players compare favorably to 7 Days to Die) and newer titles could pull players away if The Fun Pimps don’t act swiftly.

Review Momentum:
Negative review bombing, as seen post-1.0, can persist unless significant changes are made. The "Clown Award Farm" phenomenon (players posting negative reviews for Steam awards) further complicates recovery.


What Would Be Needed:
A major update addressing combat (e.g., better weapon feedback, fixed hitboxes), restoring survival mechanics (e.g., water collection, farming flexibility), or improving modding tools.
Transparent communication from The Fun Pimps acknowledging community feedback, as players feel ignored.
Consistent updates rather than one per year to rebuild trust.

Impact on Sales
The decline to a "Mixed" Steam rating likely has a noticeable but not catastrophic impact on 7 Days to Die’s sales, based on general gaming trends and the game’s context:

Short-Term Impact:

Reduced New Player Acquisition:
A "Mixed" rating deters new buyers, as Steam’s review system heavily influences purchasing decisions. Potential players may hesitate, especially with competing survival games like Rust or DayZ maintaining better ratings.

Estimated Sales Drop:
Based on industry trends, a drop from "Very Positive" to "Mixed" can reduce sales by 10-30% for a game with an established player base, particularly for new purchases. However, 7 Days to Die’s 20 million copies sold and loyal fanbase (40,000 average Steam players) provide a buffer.

Console Sales:
The PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions, with high ratings (4.5/5 on Xbox, 4.88/5 on PlayStation), may offset some PC sales losses, as console players seem less vocal about the backlash.

Long-Term Impact:

If Ratings Recover:
Returning to "Mostly Positive" or better could restore sales momentum, especially with planned content updates. The 1.0 release saw a player count surge to 100,000, indicating strong market potential if issues are addressed.

If Ratings Stagnate:
Prolonged "Mixed" status could cap sales growth, limiting the game to its existing fanbase and modding community. New players may opt for alternatives, and sales could plateau or decline by 20-40% over time compared to peak periods.

Modding as a Sales Driver:
The modding community’s ability to address player complaints (e.g., via mods like Darkness Falls) could sustain sales even if vanilla gameplay remains divisive.

Mitigating Factors:
The game’s $44.99 price point and frequent Steam sales (often 50-75% off) make it accessible, softening the impact of negative reviews.
Crossplay and console releases broaden the market, potentially offsetting PC-specific backlash.
The survival genre’s niche appeal ensures a dedicated audience, even with mixed reviews, as seen with games like Ark: Survival Evolved.

Conclusion
The likelihood of 7 Days to Die returning to a "Mostly Positive" Steam rating is moderate (30-40% by mid-2026), contingent on The Fun Pimps addressing core issues like combat, survival mechanics, and update frequency while engaging with the community. The current "Mixed" rating likely reduces sales by 10-30% in the short term, particularly for new PC players, but console sales and the modding community mitigate losses. Long-term sales depend on whether the developers can restore faith with meaningful updates or if players continue to rely on mods to fix the game’s shortcomings. For real-time sentiment, check Steam Community discussions or X posts under #7DaysToDie for ongoing player reactions.
 
Now lets look at how AI complies the time line

Timeline of Player DissatisfactionPre-1.0 Release (Before July 25, 2024):

Context:
7 Days to Die was in early access for over a decade (since December 2013), with frequent updates (Alpha 1 to Alpha 21) introducing features like new biomes, crafting systems, and zombie variants.

Player Sentiment:
While some players were frustrated with the slow development pace and occasional controversial changes (e.g., the shift to a learn-by-doing system in Alpha 16 or trader-focused progression in Alpha 20), the game maintained a "Very Positive" Steam rating (around 80-85% positive) due to its loyal fanbase and modding community.

Specific Complaints:
Players occasionally criticized updates for breaking mods or altering preferred mechanics (e.g., Alpha 19’s removal of certain crafting recipes). However, these were often mitigated by mods or developer patches.
Console players were particularly upset after support for PS4/Xbox One versions was dropped in 2018 due to Telltale Publishing’s collapse, leaving them without updates until the 2024 re-release.
Overall: Dissatisfaction existed but was not widespread. The announcement of the 1.0 release in April 2024 generated excitement, with a player count peak of over 100,000 on Steam, indicating strong anticipation.

Conclusion:
Before 1.0, player unhappiness was sporadic, tied to specific updates or console issues, but the community was generally optimistic about the full release.
Post-1.0 Release (After July 25, 2024):

Context:
The 1.0 release (Alpha 22) marked the game’s exit from early access, introducing a unified build for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. It included new features like an HD character system, reworked armor, new POIs, and a challenge system. Subsequent updates included:

October 1, 2024: Version 1.1, with minor fixes.

December 10, 2024: Version 1.2, adding crossplay, graphics modes, and stability improvements.

June 30, 2025: Version 2.0 (“Storm’s Brewing”), overhauling weather, biome progression, and adding a wardrobe system.


Player Sentiment:
A significant backlash emerged post-1.0, with Steam reviews dropping from "Very Positive" (83% positive from 6,300 recent reviews in July 2024) to "Mixed" by July 2025.

Key Complaints:
Shift in Gameplay Direction:
Players felt the game moved away from its open-ended survival sandbox roots toward a more structured, RPG-like experience.

Specific changes included:
Magazine-Based Progression:
The new system requiring magazines for skill progression was seen as grindy and restrictive, replacing the more flexible learn-by-doing or perk-based systems of earlier alphas. Players described it as “dumbed-down” or “tedious.”
Nerfed Survival Mechanics:
Changes to water collection (e.g., removing dew collectors), farming, and ore veins (not extending to bedrock) made survival feel punishing rather than rewarding. Reddit posts highlighted frustration with spending hours mining for minimal returns.
Trader and Loot Rebalance:
The 1.0 update reduced trader reliance but made looting and crafting overly central, slowing progression and frustrating solo players.
New Enemy Types and Balance:
New zombies (e.g., Charged Blue, Infernal Orange, bikers) were introduced, but some were deemed too difficult early-game, disrupting balance. Players also criticized sensory issues with eating/drinking sounds and poor hitboxes.
Perceived Developer Disconnect:
The Fun Pimps were accused of ignoring community feedback, prioritizing their vision over player preferences. For example, a Steam Community post from July 2025 noted players feeling the developers “don’t care” about restoring older mechanics or supporting mods better.
Bugs and Technical Issues:
Despite leaving early access, 1.0 launched with bugs like save corruption (fixed in V1.2) and persistent issues with combat mechanics (e.g., “cardboard” weapon feel, outdated crosshairs in scoped aiming).

Evidence of Backlash:
  • Steam Reviews: Negative reviews surged post-1.0, with players citing “loss of soul,” “forced playstyles,” and “brain-dead mechanics.” A Reddit thread from July 17, 2025, with 114 votes and 54 comments, discussed the “Mixed” rating as a wake-up call for developers.
  • Community Discussions: X posts and Reddit threads (e.g., r/7daystodie) show players recommending older versions (Alpha 20/21) or mods like Darkness Falls over the current vanilla game. Some called V2.0 “a step backward” for doubling down on controversial systems.
  • Review Bombing: The “Clown Award Farm” trend on Steam, where players posted negative reviews for awards, amplified the backlash, though it’s unclear how much this skewed the rating.
  • Conclusion: The most significant wave of player dissatisfaction began after the 1.0 release, peaking with updates like V2.0 in June 2025. The changes introduced in 1.0 and reinforced in later patches were seen as fundamentally altering the game’s identity, alienating a portion of the core fanbase.
Pinpointing the Turning Point

  • When: The backlash became pronounced immediately after the 1.0 release on July 25, 2024, and intensified with each update (V1.1, V1.2, V2.0). The Steam rating shift to "Mixed" by late 2024/early 2025 confirms this.
  • Why: The 1.0 release introduced sweeping changes (e.g., magazine system, trader rebalance, new zombies) that many players felt betrayed the game’s sandbox ethos. Earlier alphas had similar controversies, but the scale and permanence of 1.0 changes, combined with the game’s “final” status, amplified discontent.
  • Evidence: Steam review trends, Reddit threads (e.g., July 2025 post), and X discussions under #7DaysToDie show a sharp increase in negative sentiment post-July 2024, with players explicitly comparing 1.0 unfavorably to Alpha 20/21.
Comparison of Pre- and Post-1.0 Dissatisfaction

  • Pre-1.0: Dissatisfaction was limited to specific updates or console abandonment, with the community largely forgiving due to early access status and modding options. The game retained a strong positive reputation.
  • Post-1.0: The backlash was broader, targeting the game’s core direction (RPG shift, restrictive mechanics) and developer priorities. The “Mixed” Steam rating and vocal community outrage indicate a deeper rift, with some players abandoning vanilla for mods or older versions.
Conclusion
The significant point of player unhappiness with 7 Days to Die’s direction was after the 1.0 release on July 25, 2024, particularly escalating with the V2.0 update in June 2025. While pre-1.0 frustrations existed, they were minor compared to the post-1.0 backlash, driven by changes like the magazine system, nerfed survival mechanics, and perceived developer disconnect. The drop to a "Mixed" Steam rating reflects this shift, with community discussions on Reddit and X confirming widespread discontent.
 
Leave or stay as you like. This game will still be alive and well in another 10 years. Doom and gloom crystal ball readers like you have been around since December 2013 when I bought the game and started following the forums. There was someone just like you predicting the death of the game by the end of 2014. <shrug>
Based on market trends and historical records its a lot less than a 50/50 chance. But only time will tell.
With new sales being impacted by mixed reviews the budget will quickly dry up and the development path will be delayed even further.

I don’t believe you and others like you when you just ask to make things optional and you’ll be happy. You proved the falseness of that claim with 2.0 when you threw the optional settings back in TFPs face as some sort of sign that not even the devs were confident of their design. Nice.
At no point did i ever say that.
You just making things up at this point.

I’m glad TFP is going to refine the 2.0 features with community feedback in mind. I’m also glad they are working to finish the game and then move on to something else. I’m confident if they stay the course and stick to their current path making balance adjustments as necessary based on customer feedback the game will continue to succeed and live. There is no need to go backwards.
I actually 100% agree with you here... At no point did i ask them to go backwards or demand anything. All i asked is to provide my opinion based on how i feel about the direction of the game and what the key issues were.. This was largely backup up by the AI review posted above. The post was long enough without adding what i love about the game. But let me tell you that list is much longer than the dislikes.

However here is a fundamental issue which i see with the gate keepers of the official forum. You are also a community moderator
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Not only have you fabricated claims against someone who is trying to provide real feedback for the developers to wade through the echo chambers that are being created but you have also added to creating an environment where this forum is stuck in its own echo chamber by actively outing and trying to discredit anyone with a dissenting opinion. I am not a minority despite what the mods here believe. Just look around. These actions have largely discredited any constructive criticism that more than likely created an echo chamber for the dev team pushing the game in a direction that may not have been the best choice (yes its speculation) but im using as an example of reflection of ones actions.
 
No one wants to see what AI "thinks".
Thank you for reaffirming my objective view of the fanboy echo chamber community here. Closed minded and data ignorant.

Funny enough AI is really good at compiling huge swaths of data and taking an objective analysis as a whole data set. Im sure your sentiment would have a differing opinion if the data was in your arguments favor. But sadly instead of taking an objective view and looking outside this echo chamber all you have is to dismiss any dissenting opinion.

I do have a saying that i think fits here:
"In the age of information ignorance is a choice"
 
Why does it creep you out that someone enjoys a computer game you don’t enjoy? That's really weird.
What creeps me out is that you seem to love the absolutely worst version this game has ever had and have zero complaints and youre also optimistic about the future as well. Its just not human. And again, like I said before, if you really feel that way about the game, then fine, you know theres a 0.0001% chance even for that scenario to exist, but the way you wrote your post was just downright amazon bot-ish to me. Now with this cleared off lets stop derailing the topic with personal arguments.
 
What creeps me out is that you seem to love the absolutely worst version this game has ever had and have zero complaints and youre also optimistic about the future as well. Its just not human. And again, like I said before, if you really feel that way about the game, then fine, you know theres a 0.0001% chance even for that scenario to exist, but the way you wrote your post was just downright amazon bot-ish to me. Now with this cleared off lets stop derailing the topic with personal arguments.
So glad others are now seeing it... Lets hope the band of brothers that reaffirm each others stance to the point of bullying stops.
 
Now lets look at how AI complies the time line
As much as I hate the concept of looking at AI as the source of ultimate wisdom, the post seems pretty legit and captures the sentiment pretty well and with evidence to back it up. Yes, the silent part of the playerbase is still not represented, but thats TFP's fault for not doing in-game surveys. If they want to boost the game's image they should do some to see what the silent part of the playerbase thinks. Although I very much doubt the silent part is a majority and at the same time agrees with them so maybe they want to play "steam haters" card instead, belittling these kind of reviews while having none of their own. Otherwise really good job mate.
 
I looked at 7d2d kickstarter page. you know what was promised?
"An open world, voxel-based, sandbox game blending the best elements of FPS, Survival Horror, Tower Defense and Role Playing Games."
They promised SANDBOX game with other elemets. Where FPS was one and not major one of them.
But direction 7d2d was going untill now (i hope) was fps game with some elements of survivar horror. Where is the rest?
Its not about glass jars (i like new water system tbh) its about expectations, lies, and game direction.
What we want is survival, crafting, exploration, base building. This is what we were hoping since the beggining (I was there since 2015).
Underground base was anexploit? How? How is it exploit if we can turn all zombies off or horde nights alone? If someone wants to play safe, let them do so, they are already loosing rewards and exp from hordes. What about sneak playstyle? Where is farming and cooking? Where is crafting atm... locked behind looting, where looting already gives rewards that crafting should.
 
Underground base was anexploit? How?
Lmao I just commented on underground bases being called "exploit" just yesterday or so myself. Very ridiculous reasoning for sure. And just for the record, thats also where the sandbox officially died. Underground bases were the last remaining sandbox element present in the game.
 
Lmao I just commented on underground bases being called "exploit" just yesterday or so myself. Very ridiculous reasoning for sure. And just for the record, thats also where the sandbox officially died. Underground bases were the last remaining sandbox element present in the game.
I'm still building underground bases, those holds off normal zombies, but hordebase is something else. And as much as Devs stated they want diversified gameplay, they destroyed everything that was diversed.
 
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