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Mellow_Online1

@mellowonline1.bsky.social
80 followers 47 following 583 posts

Independent video games journalist | Owner and founder of Sentinels of the Store | Moderator at Dead MP Games Resurrection

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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Decided to weigh in on this. #My9Games
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Now @fanatical.com let's not do a @humblebundle.com
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Just played 15 minutes of Happy Wheels on @steampowered.com. It’s a’ight! For some reason, the controls feel less responsive than they did in the browser version. Still, I’m pleased it’s finally here - with achievements and a hefty bite of nostalgia.
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
@pcgamer.com has covered Hard Shark Games after the publisher released 29 Early Access titles in a single day - and linked to our original 2025 investigation into the publisher’s asset flipping, stolen content and review manipulation. www.pcgamer.com/gaming-indus...
pcgamer.com
This indie publisher released 29 terrible-looking Steam games in a single day—will they make any money?
All the interesting Steam facts for the week ending September 20.
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Reposted by Mellow_Online1
DLJadow @dljadow.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
I found a quaint little puzzle game on Steam: Cade Prime. You play as a robot moving boxes and... moving boxes. And it's green. So much green... Thanks to @mellowonline1.bsky.social for cluing me into this dev so I went fishing through their catalog for quickie fodder youtu.be/a26zj_XvCsU?...
youtu.be
Cade Prime - The Dark Side of Steam
YouTube video by DLJadow
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Reposted by Mellow_Online1
Sentinels of the Store @steamsentinels.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Quick update: today’s planned Sentinels article has been delayed after @mellowonline1.bsky.social received a temporary 16-hour @steampowered.com Community ban over a screenshot uploaded more than a decade ago. The article will now be published tomorrow or Saturday. Apologies for the delay!
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
We declared 2026 a year of war on @steampowered.com review manipulation. Nearly 100 games linked to Obzor were removed after we exchanged evidence with @valvesoftware.com. Now, our attention turns to the Steam accounts working for the site. Developers weren’t the end of this. The users are next.
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Steam doesn’t just need better policies - it needs clearer enforcement. Developers and players shouldn’t have to reverse-engineer where the line is drawn, why action was taken, or why seemingly similar cases receive different outcomes. Consistency and transparency make a healthier storefront.
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
UPDATE: LootBound's Paid Positive Reviews @artdock.bsky.social has now responded to our investigation. However, their response still leaves major questions unanswered. Our full follow-up: steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti...
steamcommunity.com
SteamWatch - ArtDock Responds to LootBound Paid Review Investigation
It's certainly been a busy few days in the aftermath of our latest article. For those who missed it, I'd recommend giving it a read first , because this is going to be a direct follow-up covering ArtD...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Popular indie roguelite 'Lootdbound' has been caught offering to fund players' @steampowered.com purchases in exchange for positive reviews - including efforts to ensure those reviews counted towards its overall review score. steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti...
steamcommunity.com
'Lootbound' Community Manager Caught Offering Players Steam Gift Cards for Positive Reviews
Ladies and gents, I come before you once again to blabber on a bit about review manipulation. Not the Obzor kind this time , we're going a bit more old school with this one: the old-fashioned bribing ...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
We did it! The EUIPO has formally refused @nukearts.bsky.social’s “HIDDEN CATS” European trademark application following a challenge filed by an anonymous member of our community - read the full story here: steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti...
steamcommunity.com
SteamWatch - "Hidden Cats" Trademark Rejected by EUIPO
We did it! On August 18th, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) issued a formal decision refusing NukeArts’ “HIDDEN CATS” trademark application for every good and service it covered...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
An update on the "Hidden Cats" trademark dispute
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Malware has been discovered inside a custom map uploaded to the Steam Workshop. When content is downloaded through Steam, players understandably assume it’s safe - but what checks does Valve actually perform? Our latest article asks whether Valve is doing enough steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti...
steamcommunity.com
SteamWatch - How Safe Is the Steam Workshop?
For many PC players, modding is one of the best things about the platform. Mods can fix problems developers never addressed, restore cut content, introduce entirely new mechanics and extend the life o...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Back to Business: Let's Keep the Mission Going steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti...
steamcommunity.com
Back to Business: Let’s Keep the Mission Going
Hey there, everybody! Just over two months later, my extensive work contract has now come to an end - and we should be back to business as usual! It’s been great to see the activity that has continued...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
New @steamsentinels.bsky.social article! @sirviolentdeath.bsky.social dives headfirst into @steampowered.com's store tags, discussing how they work, the benefits and issues with the system, and how Steam could fix them. steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti...
steamcommunity.com
Steam's Store Tags
Intro Hey folks, SirViolentDeath here with a short article while our fearless leader, Mellow, is busy reorganizing his tea collection. This week I wanted to talk about Valve’s Steam Store tags, since ...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
A Quick Personal Update steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti...
steamcommunity.com
A Quick Personal Update
Hi all! This is just a quick announcement to say that I’m going to be stepping away for a short while. For those who don’t know, my day job is freelance media work, and I’ve got a very intensive coupl...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Heya everyone! I did a guest article piece for The W2 Report about my 5 red flags that I think everyone should look out for before buying games on Steam. Go and give it a read if you please. www.thew2report.cv/five-red-flags Thanks!
thew2report.cv
Five Red Flags Every PC Gamer Should Watch for Before Buying a Game on Steam - The W2 Report
Official site of The W2 Report, the YouTube channel that presents the news without the echo chamber while having more fun than we are legally allowed to have
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
NEW @steamsentinels.bsky.social ARTICLE! Hard Shark Games were exposed last year for stolen content and review manipulation. Some games were removed. The developer wasn’t. And now they’re continuing to abuse @steampowered.com's Early Access system. steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti...
steamcommunity.com
SteamWatch - One Year Later, Nothing Stopped Hard Shark Games
Back in March 2025, we published an article on Hard Shark Games , the current alias of Johnny Ginard, a developer we had previously covered in 2021 . At the time, the situation was already extreme: do...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
NEW @steamsentinels.bsky.social ARTICLE @nukearts.bsky.social have responded to the EU trademark challenge over “Hidden Cats.” It’s now a live dispute: Is “Hidden Cats” a brand - or just a description of the genre? We break down the latest developments. steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti...
steamcommunity.com
SteamWatch - NukeArts Responds to EUIPO Challenge Over ‘Hidden Cats’ Trademark
NukeArts have now formally responded to the EUIPO challenge against their “ Hidden Cats ” trademark application. This response marks the next stage in what is now a live dispute over whether the term ...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
I've been alerted @nukearts.bsky.social's legal team has responded to the third-party observation I shared last week - new article inbound - going through it now.
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 26/04/2026
BREAKING NEWS: Bohrdom has been purchase disabled on Steam following the developer's shooting at a White House dinner. store.steampowered.com/app/945530/B... #Steam #PCGaming #GameDev #GamingNews #SteamGames #TechNews #PlatformPolicy #DigitalPlatforms #BreakingNews #USNews
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
NEW ARTICLE ON @steamsentinels.bsky.social! The “Hidden Cats” trademark by @nukearts.bsky.social has now been formally challenged in the EU. A third-party observation has been received and logged by the EUIPO, marking the first official pushback. steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti...
steamcommunity.com
SteamWatch - “Hidden Cats” Trademark Application Faces Formal EUIPO Challenge
Today, I can confirm that a third-party observation has been received and logged by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) in relation to the “ Hidden Cats ” trademark application by ...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Who did it better?
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
NEW @steamsentinels.bsky.social ARTICLE As our visibility grows, so does scrutiny - and sometimes misrepresentation. We’re clarifying what Sentinels of the Store is, what it isn’t, and how we approach accountability on @steampowered.com. steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti...
steamcommunity.com
Steam Community :: Group :: Sentinels of the Store
The Sentinels of the Store is a group founded on the core values of transparency, fairness, and consumer protection. Our journey began when we saw the urgent need to address the growing concerns withi...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
Ohhhhhh...we're halfway there!
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
NEW @steamsentinels.bsky.social ARTICLE @valvesoftware.com has spent years refining @steampowered.com's review system to tackle review bombing - but have they struck the right balance? steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti... #Steam #Gaming #Valve #ReviewBombing #GameDev
steamcommunity.com
SteamWatch - Valve's Efforts to Combat Review Bombing
Hey folks, SirViolentDeath here with another article while Mellow is out harvesting tea. This week, I want to continue talking about some of the changes Valve has made , focusing on the user review sy...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
A monthly behind-the-scenes look at Steam Sentinels, including ongoing investigations, article insights, and work we don’t always share publicly. First issue is live now! If you aren't a patron yet, it's a great time to join and enjoy more bonuses than ever before! www.patreon.com/posts/sentin...
patreon.com
Sentinel Log - Issue #1 (March 2026) | Steam Sentinels
Get more from Steam Sentinels on Patreon
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
The FTC has issued warning letters to PayPal, Visa, Mastercard & Stripe over concerns of “debanking” consumers. This follows last year’s situation, where payment processor pressure led to removals on Steam. Is this the start of regulatory pushback? Read more: steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti...
steamcommunity.com
SteamWatch - FTC Warns Payment Processors Over ‘Debanking’ Concerns
As some of you may be aware, back in August 2025 we published a couple of articles covering the fallout between Steam & major payment processors including Paypal, Visa & Mastercard. For those ...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
New @steamsentinels.bsky.social article! “Asset flip” has become shorthand for “bad game.” That’s not what it actually means. I break down why the term should be factual - not a value judgement. steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti...
steamcommunity.com
SteamWatch - Let's Talk Asset Flips
Asset flips are something we cover quite a lot on the curator, but not as much in our articles - and there’s a reason for that. Most cases are straightforward. “This game is a Unity template.” “This g...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
Small win I wanted to share with everyone. Yesterday, our curator hit a new 24-hour lifetime peak for App Views Influenced! Thanks as always for the support you all throw behind @steamsentinels.bsky.social!
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
New article on Sentinels of the Store! We go over developments that have happened in the Hidden Cats Trademark dispute - review bombings that have happened on @nukearts.bsky.social's games, and what's going on with the trademark status in Europe. steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti...
steamcommunity.com
SteamWatch - Hidden Cats Fallout Expands
This article serves as an update to our previous coverage of the ongoing ' Hidden Cats ' trademark dispute. If you’re not familiar with the story, I recommend reading our earlier article first: SteamW...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
New @steamsentinels.bsky.social article from Caff DLC spam is quietly flooding @steampowered.com's new releases - with some games listing dozens of expensive DLC packs with little explanation of what they even contain. Our latest piece looks at the growing issue steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti...
steamcommunity.com
DLC Spam - The Oft-Forgotten Issue Flooding Releases on Steam
It's no secret that DLC has become abundant on Steam, even amongst independent developers. Aside from games infamous for their large swaths of downloadable content like Train Sim World or Europa Unive...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
New Sentinels of the Store article! Steam is enforcing a trademark over "Hidden Cats". Developers are scrambling to rename their titles. Valve has poorly handled the claim, which is in itself anti-competitive, anti-developer and anti-consumer. Full article here: steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti...
steamcommunity.com
SteamWatch - Steam Enforces "Hidden Cats" Trademark - Indie Developers Forced to Rename or Risk Removal
“ Hidden Cats ” is a micro-genre within the broader hidden object (HOG) space: illustrated puzzle games where players search detailed scenes to find concealed cats. Over the past several years, multip...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
Our @steamsentinels.bsky.social has grown. With growth comes visibility. With visibility comes scrutiny. We’ve published a clarification on representation, governance, and where we draw the line between evidence-based accountability and ideology. steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti...
steamcommunity.com
Let's Be Clear
As Sentinels grows, visibility increases. With visibility comes scrutiny - and sometimes misrepresentation. So it’s important we clarify structure. Sentinels of the Store is not built around any singl...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
In 2026, @steamsentinels.bsky.socialhas grown. With growth comes visibility. With visibility comes scrutiny. We’ve published a clarification on structure, representation, and where we draw the line - particularly around ideology vs evidence. steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti...
steamcommunity.com
Let's Be Clear
As Sentinels grows, visibility increases. With visibility comes scrutiny - and sometimes misrepresentation. So it’s important we clarify structure. Sentinels of the Store is not built around any singl...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 16/02/2026
New @steamsentinels.bsky.social article! @steampowered.com has landed on the front page of @theguardian.com. Developers are speaking out about bigoted reviews, curator campaigns, and what they describe as inconsistent moderation on the platform. steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti...
steamcommunity.com
SteamWatch - Developers Accuse Steam of Failing to Tackle Bigotry
Steam is under mainstream scrutiny this week following a detailed report in The Guardian titled “‘ This shouldn’t be normal’: developers speak out about bigotry on Steam, the world’s biggest PC gaming...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
New @steamsentinels.bsky.social article! Atomic Fabrik was removed from @steampowered.com in 2024 after documented abuse of review and pricing systems. They remain on Epic. Recent discussion brought it back into focus, so I’ve written up a full breakdown. Read here:
steamcommunity.com
SteamWatch - Atomic Fabrik is on the Epic Games Store
First of all, apologies for my absence the last few weeks - work was hectic and I was briefly out of action with chicken pox. Back to business as usual now. Almost two years ago, Atomic Fabrik was rem...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
The @steamsentinels.bsky.social community are awesome. Even in my absence, we've still seen people joining our group in large quantities. Let's make @steampowered.com better
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
Just watched a YouTuber play a demo. They finished it, then said: “I’d get the full game on sale.” The game isn’t out yet. There’s no price. No RRP. How do you recommend “on sale” when you don’t even know the baseline value?
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 07/02/2026
Speedrunning Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars - The Durector's Cut. @revolutionsoftware.bsky.social Take 3...Ready...steady...go! www.youtube.com/live/zT734do...
youtube.com
Speedrunning Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars - The Director's Cut
YouTube video by Mellow Online1
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 07/02/2026
Sorry kiddos
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
Live now - speedrunning Broken Sword! www.youtube.com/live/KdVq_d7...
youtube.com
Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars - The Director's Cut Speedrun #2
YouTube video by Mellow Online1
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
And wow - wake up, look in the mirror, and I’ve got red spots and rashes on my face. Shower…turns out they’re on my chest, arms, legs and feet too. Fam, I might have finally caught chickenpox! Off to the pharmacy I go.
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
Sorry for the silence on my part. Been pretty busy IRL, and I'm also battling the worst headache and nausea I've had probably in my life, which has been a major hurdle for me in making anything @steamsentinels.bsky.social related. I'll get back to it as soon as I'm back in shape.
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
It took 2 years, but I finally got redemption. I was permanently banned from the 'Skibidi Backrooms' forums for “fake information” after flagging suspicious reviews. Now the game’s been caught up in the Obzor review-manipulation bans. Funny how that works.
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
Welcome @summitreviews.biz to the @steamsentinels.bsky.social Network! steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti...
steamcommunity.com
Welcome Summit Reviews to the Sentinel Network!
We’re pleased to officially welcome Summit Reviews into the Sentinel Network. Summit Reviews are an independent, international collective of experienced writers known for their professional, in-depth ...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
New @steamsentinels.bsky.social article! @steampowered.com Removes Nearly 100 Games Linked to Obzor Review Manipulation - Plus an Important Clarification steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti...
steamcommunity.com
Steam Removes Nearly 100 Games Linked to Obzor Review Manipulation - Plus an Important Clarification
Yesterday, a large batch of nearly 100 games were removed from Steam. This followed an exchange of information between ourselves and Steam regarding Obzor and review manipulation activity on the platf...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 17/01/2026
Today, @steamsentinels.bsky.social turns 9 years old! Here's a little ramble from me. steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti...
steamcommunity.com
9 Years of Sentinels - A Ramble From Me
Today, Sentinels of the Store turns 9 years old. Nine years ago, on January 17th 2017, I made the decision to create this group. The world was very different back then. Steam was very different. I was...
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Mellow_Online1 @mellowonline1.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
New @steamsentinels.bsky.social article! @steampowered.com Remove Thousands of Obzor Reviews - Our Progress Begins Now steamcommunity.com/groups/Senti...
steamcommunity.com
Steam Remove Thousands of Obzor Reviews - Our Progress Begins Now
Hi all, First of all, a quick apology in advance: there are going to be a few announcements going up this week. The first landed yesterday with our latest podcast episode , where we discussed a range ...
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