Oh, wow, that’s honestly disappointing to hear but not entirely surprising. It’s such a bad look for an author to respond to legitimate feedback by complaining on their platform instead of actually addressing the concerns in a meaningful way. Like, doubling down and dismissing valid points as just “haters being haters” or using their fanbase to create an echo chamber? That’s not how you grow as a writer or improve your work. It’s especially frustrating because the issues you and others have brought up aren’t nitpicks—they’re fundamental flaws in the way the romances are structured.
The fact that they only recently added the poly-lock disclaimer feels like a band-aid fix rather than taking responsibility for misleading players who don’t enjoy that kind of dynamic. It’s great that they might be slightly more open to criticism now, but if that’s the only noticeable change, it’s hard to feel like they’re genuinely listening to feedback rather than just doing the bare minimum to avoid backlash.
What’s worse is the damage has already been done for so many players who invested time and emotional energy into these romances, only to feel blindsided by how poorly the routes are handled. It’s not like people are saying “Poly bad” here; it’s about how the dynamics are written in a way that actively makes players feel invalidated and secondary, even in the supposedly monogamous routes.
If they’re truly open to criticism now, hopefully, they’ll take a hard look at how these issues affect the player experience instead of brushing it off or just pandering to their most vocal supporters. But yeah, considering how long it took just to put a disclaimer on Steam, I wouldn’t hold my breath for anything substantial. At the end of the day, authors who prioritize echo chambers over constructive feedback are only limiting their own growth—and, honestly, their audience too.