Competitive multiplayer shooters dominate the list, with eight out of 10 games falling into this category. PUBG: Battlegrounds provides the most annoying gaming experience, with 48.1% of negative reviews left by frustrated players. Counter-Strike 2 and Apex Legends follow with 38.4% and 31.3% of comments focusing on players’ frustration, respectively.
A new study has revealed that the most frustrating games on Steam are overwhelmingly competitive multiplayer shooters, with PUBG: Battlegrounds topping the list.
The study, conducted by online casino Casino Days, analyzed the first 10,000 ‘most helpful’ negative reviews for the 30 most played games on Steam to determine which titles caused the most frustration. This was based on the frequency of keywords like ‘glitch’, ‘bot’, ‘lag’, ‘crash’, and ‘cheater’.
The data shows that competitive multiplayer games, including first-person shooters and battle royale titles, dominate the top of the frustration list. Of the top ten most frustrating games, eight are either online-only or feature heavily competitive multiplayer elements.
These genres share a reliance on real-time performance, online infrastructure, and player competition, which increases the chances of frustration from unfair advantages (e.g., cheating) or technical instability.
The Ten Most Frustrating Games on Steam, According to Players
| Rank | Video Game | Percentage of ‘Most Helpful’ Negative Reviews Related to Frustration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PUBG: Battlegrounds | 48.1% |
| 2 | Counter-Strike 2 | 38.4% |
| 3 | Apex Legends | 31.3% |
| 4 | Call of Duty | 30.1% |
| 5 | Cyberpunk 2077 | 27.5% |
| 6 | Lost Ark | 22.8% |
| 7 | Marvel Rivals | 19.9% |
| 8 | New World: Aeternum | 19.8% |
| 9 | Palworld | 18.3% |
| 10 | Monster Hunter Wilds | 17.1% |
Frustration Highlights of Top Titles
PUBG: Battlegrounds topped the list with 48.1% of its negative reviews containing frustration-related keywords. Frequent mentions of cheating (26.9%), lag (10.9%), and crashes (4.8%) highlight the challenges of maintaining a fair and stable competitive environment. The battle royale hit has earned over $13 billion and amassed more than 3.2 million reviews, with 5,160 negative reviews analysed in the study.
Counter-Strike 2 placed second, with 38.4% of negative reviews indicating player frustration. Despite fewer total reviews (1.8 million), the frustration rate remains high. Common issues mirror PUBG’s, with cheating complaints at 31.2% and technical problems like glitches (0.7%) and crashes (1.2%).
Apex Legends ranked third, with 31.3% of negative reviews mentioning frustration, closely followed by Call of Duty at 30.1%.
Cyberpunk 2077 holds fifth place with 27.5% frustration, reflecting the rocky launch it experienced. Titles like Lost Ark, Marvel Rivals, New World: Aeternum, and Palworld all show frustration rates ranging between 18% and 23%. Monster Hunter Wilds rounds out the top ten at 17.1%.
Expert Commentary from Ross Parkhill, CEO at Rhino Entertainment Group
“The high frustration percentages we see in battle royale and competitive shooter games suggest that these high-stakes, competitive environments naturally create more frustrating experiences. This may be because players feel they can push the limits in these types of games, utilizing cheat codes or bots to gain an unfair advantage.”
“Players invest significant time and money into these games, so understanding which titles might lead to frustration can help inform purchasing decisions. Players looking for a less stressful gaming experience might want to consider sandbox or creative games rather than competitive shooters.”
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