Why is Gray Zone Warfare mostly negative on Steam?

Gray Zone Warfare is mostly negative on Steam after its early access release , Gray Zone Warfare
Gray Zone Warfare got a lot of thumbs downs after its early access release (Image via Madfinger Games)

The early access launch of Gray Zone Warfare is rated with mostly negative reviews on the Steam platform. Upon its release for PC/Steam on April 30, 2024, the game's early access faced a wave of criticism from many players. The primary grievances centered on its poor optimization, while others took issue with the fundamental gameplay and mechanics.

This article speculates why Gray Zone Warfare is rated mostly negative on Steam.


Potential reasons for Gray Zone Warfare being rated mostly negative on Stream

The player reviews for Gray Zone Warfare were brutal, and while most reviews pointed toward game performance, others were comparison remarks. Those who played the early access didn't hesitate to mention Escape from Trakov in the comments and pointed out how the game was better or worse than Gray Zone Warfare.

Players expressed concerns over Gray Zone Warfare's movement, noting it lacked responsiveness and had subpar animations. This led to a perception of the game being slow-paced. Side-stepping was deemed weird and players mentioned they couldn't climb over walls, causing difficulties during fights.

The game's user interface (UI) was also heavily criticized. Players complained the character creation screen had loud and disturbing music, and that there was no way to turn that off. The game's markers weren't useful and UI navigation was confusing, which shows players were unhappy with the game's presentation.

Gray Zone Warfare requires decent hardware to run properly, but even with recommended or even better systems, players complained about its performance issues. The game reportedly felt laggy and clunky at times, and frames dropped to double digits in the graphic-intensive areas.

The primary concern for players was the central gameplay in Gray Zone Warfare's PvE mode. The AI enemies were criticized for being overly simplistic and randomly spawning, lacking the ability to anticipate the players' actions. Occasionally, these enemies would inexplicably begin attacking players from afar.

There were also concerns about how enemies could spawn camp, which is a huge problem that could ruin the player experience. The issue of friendly fire was also raised frequently in reviews, where players reported there were no repercussions when teammates intentionally killed them and looted their items. This lack of consequences could contribute to a potentially toxic gaming atmosphere.


A significant portion of the player base has expressed dissatisfaction with the early-access version of Gray Zone Warfare. While the issues mentioned are merely a selection of the game's shortcomings, they contributed to the largely negative reviews on Steam. However, it's essential to recognize that the game remains in its early stages of release and is still under development.

Feedback is essential to improve, and the developer's response to these reviews will necessarily decide the game's fate.


For more news about the upcoming tactical shooter from Madfinger Games, check out the articles below:

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