10,000 Steam Users Own This Horror Game—But the Developer Wants You to Finally Play It
If you’ve ever bought a game on Steam and then totally forgotten about it, you’re not alone. In fact, the developer behind the psychological horror game Threshold is kindly asking the 10,000 players who own his game but haven’t played it yet to give it a try. And honestly, there’s a good reason to do so—Threshold isn’t just another horror game; it’s a unique experience that changes depending on where you live.
- Developer of Threshold asks players to actually play the game
- Over 10,000 owners on Steam haven’t started it
- The game’s difficulty and ending change based on your country
- Threshold has received “very positive” reviews and won awards
- Game mechanics reflect real-world animal statistics
Thousands Own Threshold—But Haven’t Played It
Julien Eveillé, an ex-Arkane developer, created Threshold as a psychological horror game with a twist. The premise is simple: you work at a lonely mountain train station, blowing a whistle to keep trains on schedule. But as the thin air starts to mess with your mind, things get weird. The game has been called “one of the most thought-provoking and troubling games I’ve played this year” by reviewers on other gaming sites, and it boasts a “very positive” rating on Steam.
Most Gamers Don’t Finish What They Start
According to video game completion statistics, most people don’t finish games they start. In fact, some barely make progress at all. For example, in Elden Ring, around 24% of players never reached the game’s main hub. And then there are people who never even launch the games they buy.
The Developer’s Unique Plea
In late July, Eveillé posted on social media to encourage his audience to actually play Threshold—especially since there’s something special waiting for them. He wrote, “I appreciate the support but also: Do play it!” He specifically mentioned the game’s unusual difficulty settings, which are based on the player’s country of origin.
There's still around 10.000 people who bought this game and haven't started it yet. I appreciate the support but also: Do play it!
There's something you have never seen in a game before and a difficulty system based on the country you pick at start. 🫰 pic.twitter.com/u4F6WpypLN
— Julien Eveillé (@PATALOON) July 30, 2025
This means that the ending of the game is different depending on where you’re from. If you’re in the United States or China, for example, the final challenge is much harder than if you’re in India. Why? Because Threshold uses real-world statistics: the number of animals killed per day in your country. The more carnivorous your country, the more creatures you’ll face at the end. Eveillé explained, “So the animals you see falling in the map by the end of the game are the ones killed during your playthrough time in the country you picked.” In France alone, that’s about 3 million animals every day.
Reception and Secrets
Even though the game’s unique mechanics aren’t spelled out directly, some players figured it out on their own. Eveillé said, “I really wanted to keep things secret to keep some cool surprises during the game, so it took some time before I shared that info, and it wasn’t probably the smartest marketing move either, but I really don’t care as I didn’t expect Threshold to meet such a success anyway!”
Will More Players Try It?
Eveillé isn’t too worried about the number of people who haven’t started the game yet. “I haven’t played half of my Steam library myself so it’s only fair aha!” he admitted. After his post, he noticed a small uptick in players, but he’s realistic: “You only have a really short timeframe to make your game stand out, and several months [after release], people’s attention to a specific single-player game will eventually dwindle no matter what happens or is said about it.”
So, if you own Threshold and haven’t played it yet, now might be a great time to see what all the fuss is about—and maybe face some uncomfortable truths along the way.
