‘Please let us focus on making our game in peace’: Starsand Island studio confused by alleged ‘praise-bombing’ attack

February 15, 2026 - 01:55

The team behind the anticipated life simulation game, Starsand Island, has issued a perplexed statement regarding a sudden influx of highly positive user reviews that they believe are not entirely genuine. The developers expressed confusion over what appears to be an organized "praise-bombing" campaign targeting their upcoming title.

This phenomenon, where a game is flooded with overwhelmingly positive user reviews in a short period, often raises eyebrows within the gaming community. While negative "review-bombing" is a more common tactic for protest, unsolicited praise can be equally disruptive. The studio clarified they have not engaged in any activity to solicit such reviews and are unsure of the motive behind them.

In their message, the developers emphasized a desire for authentic feedback and a focus on development. "Please let us focus on making our game in peace," the statement read, highlighting how the artificial inflation of scores creates an inaccurate picture and distracts from the genuine work being done. The incident has sparked discussions about the integrity of user review systems and the new, strange pressures facing indie studios navigating online hype cycles. The team now faces the unusual challenge of investigating suspicious positivity while continuing to build their game for its true audience.