Steam has a major scam problem right now, and you could be tricked

Helldiver from Helldivers 2 holding a rocket launcher in front of a Steam background
Credit: Arrowhead Studios / Valve

Helldiver from Helldivers 2 holding a rocket launcher in front of a Steam background
Credit: Arrowhead Studios / Valve

There's no doubt that Helldivers 2 is a surprise hit, especially on Steam. The cooperative shooter that demands people to pledge their patriotism in the name of Super Earth has gone viral since it launched last month, spreading like wildfire on social media.

Despite a range of Helldivers 2 server issues and people looking to jump the Helldivers 2 queue, it seems like most of the launch issues have subsided. While the game doesn't feature DLSS, it has been an absolute blast to play on PC, and the success of the PlayStation-published game is something to be amazed by.

Of course, that means that people will want to try and make some quick money from Helldivers 2's virality. As spotted by Wario64 on Twitter, two indie games had their metadata changed in an attempt to trick users into purchasing a fake copy of Helldivers 2, and it seemed very enticing considering that there's a discount on both of the fake versions.

A fake listing of an indie game converted into Helldivers 2 on Steam
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Credit: Valve / Wario64

The only way to tell the difference between these scam copies of the game and the legitimate Helldivers 2 is either checking out the low amount of user reviews for the scam games, or checking out SteamDB, both of which most users wouldn't think of doing before they bought the game.

The indie games that were converted into fake Helldivers 2 listings were Figurality by Bside Studio and Do Not Smile by Fest Studio, according to the individual SteamDB listings of the games. Considering that both games were released on November 4, 2023, we imagine it's likely the same developer.

Both of the fake Helldivers 2 listings have been pulled from the Steam storefront as of us writing this article, having lasted mere hours before Valve caught on. Fortunately, neither of the fake games come up when you search Helldivers 2, and the only way to visit the listing is by finding the links.

It's not clear why indie developers can change their details so easily, but it's likely due to Valve's extensive checks before you can publish a game on the storefront. After, the rules are likely relaxed to make things easier for developers and publishers to update and adjust, but these scam developers will likely make it more difficult for legitimate indie devs in the future to change their game's details.

This is only the most recent example of a developer faking a popular game in order to get some quick purchases. As recent as mid-February 2024, an indie game called Carrot the Cat was changed into a fake version of The Day Before, the controversial game that was killed just a day after launch.

There's clearly an issue right now with existing indie games being converted into popular games in order to scam potential buyers, and while Valve does quickly correct this problem by pulling fake listings, plenty of people could be easily misled. However, Steam's generous refund policy will certainly hope those who have been tricked.

It's a shame that rogue scammers have found out this quick scam in an attempt to take people's money, especially those looking to play Helldivers 2 with their friends. Hopefully, this issue is rectified in the future, but I don't want it to make legitimate developer's lives more difficult. It's certainly a balancing act for Valve right now.