Infinity Nikki Hits Record Low Ratings on Steam as Player Backlash Continues

InFold Games’ fifth installment in the Nikki series, Infinity Nikki, has reached a critical low point, with the game now sitting at just 38% positive reviews on Steam. 

The steep decline in player sentiment follows the rocky launch of the Version 1.5 update—Bubble Season—which dropped in late April and marked the game’s debut on Steam. 

What was once a highly anticipated open-world dress-up RPG has now become the subject of widespread criticism, player boycotts, and a dramatic drop in engagement.

A Patch That Sparked Chaos

The Version 1.5 update promised new content and quality-of-life improvements. Instead, it delivered what many fans describe as “the worst update in franchise history.”

The backlash began with two major changes:

• Outfit acquisition was overhauled, leading to significantly higher gacha costs. New 11-piece outfits now require up to 220 pity pulls—an increase from the usual 180—with no added compensation or event support.

• The new tutorial mission, “Threads of Reunion,” retconned major story elements, including character arcs and world events, leaving long-time players feeling blindsided. New users are now dropped into an unskippable 15-minute lore dump, with major spoilers and a complete rewrite of the game’s original opening.

The situation only deteriorated when players noticed in-game currency vanishing without explanation—some even waking up to negative balances. In a gacha-centric economy, this misstep was seen as catastrophic. “This could be the final nail in the coffin,” wrote one Reddit user.

Technical Failures and Broken Promises

In addition to narrative and monetization issues, Version 1.5 was riddled with game-breaking bugs. Some players couldn’t even log in—particularly on PS5—while others encountered untranslated text, non-functional minigames, broken quest markers, and missing collision in key areas like Serenity Island.

Customer support responses further fueled the outrage. Players affected by platform-specific issues were reportedly told their downtime was “not compensable,” even though many had purchased monthly passes that continued to tick down during the outage.

The developers’ livestream, held before the update, had emphasized “no broken promises.” Yet many fans now view that phrase as a cruel irony.

Gacha System Criticisms Intensify

The gacha mechanics were already a contentious subject, but Bubble Season escalated concerns. The new 11-piece outfits often included redundant components like invisible socks, which seemed to serve little purpose beyond inflating pull requirements. Meanwhile, fan-beloved features like the dyeing system were revealed to be heavily monetized. Despite being teased as an open-world reward system, key colors like black and white are locked behind duplicate outfit pulls or paywalled evolution paths.

“Are these socks needed for the fit—or just for your wallet?” asked one disgruntled player.

Declining Popularity by the Numbers

According to data from SteamDB, Infinity Nikki saw a 56% drop in active players within one week of its Steam release. Despite having over 200,000 wishlists, the game now struggles to maintain an average of just 2,000 concurrent players. The Steam rating has slipped to “Mostly Negative,” making it one of the lowest-rated entries in the series to date.

Developer Apologies and a Strained Attempt to Recover

Facing mounting pressure, InFold Games—also known as Paper Games in China—has issued multiple apologies. Their most recent statement acknowledged the bugs, poor communication, and unintended consequences of the story changes. They confirmed that Threads of Reunion is not a permanent retcon and will be revised for better narrative alignment in future patches.

The studio also announced an extension for Version 1.5, which now ends on:

• June 12, 2025, at 12:49:59 UTC-7

• Version 1.6 launches later the same day at 20:00:00 UTC-7 (pending maintenance)

To stabilize the game, the following events will remain available until the update:

• Chase the Bubbles

• Rainbow Album

• Where Are the Gifties?

• Floating Bubbles

• Rainbow and Pattern

• Adventure Together

Additionally, the co-op event Starlit Pursuit was delayed to Version 1.6 for further refinement, and players will receive 360 Starlit Crystals as compensation.

The developers also launched the Miraland Round Table, a feedback initiative encouraging players to submit suggestions via email or through the in-game customer service tab. However, many are skeptical of its sincerity, especially after recent feedback surveys seemingly went ignored.

Can Infinity Nikki Recover?

With a dwindling player base, a damaged reputation, and a monetization model under fire, Infinity Nikki is at a crossroads. While InFold Games has taken steps toward damage control, many in the community view their efforts as too little, too late.

Unless the studio dramatically rethinks its approach—especially regarding trust, pricing, and transparency—Infinity Nikki may join the growing list of gacha games that couldn’t survive the weight of their own ambition.