Nintendo Launches User Reviews, But Removes Them Right Away And Doesn't Explain Why

Recently, Nintendo quietly added functionality to its website that allowed users to submit game reviews, but it didn't take long before Nintendo reversed course. A message on a game page on Nintendo's website now explains that "customer reviews" have been removed from all pages as the company "evaluate[s] this feature and its functionality."

Nintendo went on thank fans for their feedback about the feature, including those who "provided such thoughtful commentary on the games." However, Nintendo said it has no estimate as of yet for when it might provide an update on user reviews, let alone bring them back.

The user review system for Nintendo games was brought to light by Reddit user phantomliger. Before the feature was pulled, it allowed verified users to rate a game out of five stars. When you clicked the "Review This Game" button, the system apparently did a check on your account, only allowing you to review the game if you'd played for at least two hours. If allowed to review, you could write your own commentary and also select pre-made descriptions such as "Fun to Play," "Immersive," Great Value," and others, according to Shacknews.

Nintendo hasn't explained why it removed the customer review functionality from its website. One potential area of concern with user reviews is the threat of "review bombing." As we've seen on Steam, gamers can tank the overall rating of a title by submitting many low review scores in a short period of time. When controversial current events about a game, potentially, unrelated to its gameplay or design come up, some groups of people may take it upon themselves to express their frustration by review bombing a game. On the other hand, user reviews are a good way to get a quick snapshot of a game's overall perceived quality to help you make a purchase decision, and it's especially meaningful when you must play a game to review it.

Would you like to see user reviews get added back to Nintendo's website? Let us know in the comments below!