Every time I use Steam’s discovery queue or any “what to play next” site, I get bombarded with stuff from the last 6 months. I get it - that’s what generates clicks and sales - but it’s genuinely unhelpful for how most of us here actually want to play.
I’ve been quietly working on a tool to change that. The core idea - your taste doesn’t have an expiration date, so recommendations shouldn’t either. Something from 2011 that fits exactly what you’re looking for should surface just as easily as a 2024 release.
It’s early and rough around the edges, but I’m at the point where I want to validate whether this is even a problem worth solving for other people or just a me.
If a recommendation algorithm for games like this existed - smarter discovery that actually respects older games - would you use it?
What features would make it genuinely useful vs just another thing you try once and forget about? I want it to be the tool someone actually recommends to a friend, not just upvotes and forgets.
Hi, this is good feedback. I have a similar problem with algorithms like those on YouTube or Netflix because:
The same applies to Steam recommendations. I’ve noticed it tries to recommend games based on my wishlist, but the issue is that adding a game to my wishlist doesn’t necessarily mean I like it or want to play it, or want similar recommendations.
Would you be satisfied with a game recommendation algorithm if you could see what it thinks you like (e.g., your top 5 preferred genres or dislikes) and be able to fine-tune it to produce more personalized recommendations? For example, you could tell the algorithm that you like sci-fi and that it should prioritize sci-fi games.