When browsing Steam, review scores are often one of the first things players check before deciding to buy or download a game. Seeing a “Very Positive” or “Overwhelmingly Positive” badge usually inspires confidence, while a “Mixed” rating often raises concerns.

However, a Mixed review score doesn’t necessarily mean a game is bad. Many of Steam’s biggest titles continue to attract tens or even hundreds of thousands of concurrent players despite receiving mixed feedback from the community. In many cases, these ratings stem from ongoing issues such as monetization, server stability, balancing, anti-cheat concerns, controversial updates, or review bombing rather than the core gameplay itself.

Here’s a look at ten popular Steam games that continue to thrive despite their Mixed review status.

1. PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS

The original battle royale phenomenon remains one of Steam’s most-played games. Despite its strong gunplay, players continue to criticize persistent cheating, aggressive cosmetic monetization, bots, and performance issues.

2. TBH: Task Bar Hero

This idle game became surprisingly popular thanks to its unique concept of running from the Windows taskbar. However, players have reported performance issues, save bugs, and a lack of long-term content.

3. Apex Legends

Respawn’s fast-paced hero battle royale still delivers excellent movement and gunplay. Its Mixed reviews largely stem from cheating problems, server instability, controversial Battle Pass changes, and expensive cosmetic pricing.

4. EA SPORTS FC™ 26

EA’s football franchise continues to attract millions of players each year, but criticism remains focused on gameplay balance, Ultimate Team monetization, AI behavior, and the perceived lack of innovation between annual releases.

5. Delta Force

The reboot of the classic military shooter has drawn plenty of attention with its modern visuals and large-scale battles. Some longtime fans, however, feel the Operator system and extraction-style gameplay move too far away from the franchise’s tactical roots, while bots and anti-cheat concerns also contribute to its Mixed rating.

6. Slay the Spire 2

One of the most anticipated deck-building roguelikes quickly found an audience in Early Access. While the gameplay remains addictive, some players expected more innovation, questioned the updated art style, and felt the Early Access content was too limited.

7. NARAKA: BLADEPOINT

Known for its fast-paced melee combat and martial arts-inspired movement, NARAKA remains extremely popular, particularly in Asia. Players continue to highlight latency issues, matchmaking challenges, and increased cheating following the game’s transition to free-to-play.

8. Overwatch®

Although Blizzard’s hero shooter still offers polished gameplay, many players remain disappointed by the cancellation of the promised PvE mode, the shift to a Battle Pass-focused business model, and the move from 6v6 to 5v5 gameplay.

9. Battlefield™ 6

The latest Battlefield delivers spectacular large-scale warfare, but launch-day technical issues, bugs, optimization problems, weapon balancing, and controversial gameplay changes have left community opinions divided.

10. War Thunder

Gaijin Entertainment’s military combat simulator continues to enjoy a massive player base thanks to its realistic vehicle combat. However, complaints about lengthy progression, premium monetization, repair costs, and battle rating balance have contributed to its long-standing Mixed review status.

Mixed Doesn’t Always Mean Bad

A Mixed review score should be viewed as context rather than a final verdict. In many cases, these games remain incredibly enjoyable while carrying baggage from monetization decisions, technical issues, or community dissatisfaction.

Before writing off a title based solely on its review badge, it’s worth reading recent player feedback to determine whether the commonly reported issues are deal-breakers for your own preferences. A game that’s “Mixed” for one player may still become a favorite for another.