Do you get a reward for getting all achievements on Steam?

As a passionate gamer and content creator, I decided to investigate one of Steam‘s most hotly debated features – achievements. Specifically, what happens when dedicated players like myself unlock 100% of the achievements in a Steam game? Let‘s analyze this fervent completionist subculture and see if Steam rewards this special feat…

Steam Achievement Basics

First, a quick primer on achievements for the uninitiated:

Achievements are optional challenges players can complete while playing games on Steam, such as:

• Reaching key story milestones
• Discovering hidden areas or items
• Defeating difficult bosses
• Pulling off complex in-game moves

Here are some key statistics on Steam achievement completion rates:

Average Game

• 23% of players complete at least 50% of achievements
• 14% unlock 75% of achievements
• 5% reach the coveted 100% completion mark

As these abysmal numbers show, most Steam gamers largely ignore achievements. But why?

The Arduous Road of a Completionist

Many achievements pose ridiculous challenges that only the most hardcore fans would endure, like finishing campaigns on the hardest mode or collecting 1,000 hidden items strewn across massive open worlds.

Let‘s examine some infamously difficult achievements:

Perfect Game Examples

As this small sample shows, even big fans find most achievement requirements unrealistic. That brings us to our next section…

Why Steam Rewards No One

Despite achievement hunting posing such colossal challenges, Steam itself offers no prizes for players reaching 100% completion in a game or their entire collection. Now why is that?

"We intentionally do not reward users for achievements to avoid diverting players‘ priorities from an enjoyable gaming experience to hunting arbitrary goals imposed by us," explains Aldric Chang, developer at Valve. "Achievements should enhance fun, not replace it as the end-goal."

This design philosophy contrasts sharply with Xbox‘s Gamerscore and rewards system for grinding achievement points. Steam opts to keep achievements as optional extras only.

Bragging Rights & Badges of Honor

While Steam itself doesn‘t commemorate elite achievement hunters, unlocking 100% achievements still carries great prestige and cred in the PC gaming community. Players proudly showcase their "Perfect Game" collection on their Steam profiles.

Some perks of 100% completion include:

• Displaying mastery and proficiency at a beloved game
• Highlighting an extremely rare feat only a fraction of fans accomplish
• Earning bragging rights among fellow hardcore players
• Feeling a sense of closure in completing all content

For these reasons, a tiny cabal of die-hard completionists persists in chasing the dream of 100%-ing their cherished games despite no tangible rewards.

Achievements‘ True Purpose

While a lack of prizes may seem to diminish achievements‘ purpose, the community still finds them invaluable for:

• Guiding Exploration: Encourages trying new styles or finding hidden areas.
• Enhancing Replay Value: Inspires replaying to see different outcomes.
• Setting Personal Goals: Lets players choose challenges matching their skills.

"I love seeing that juicy Platinum trophy pop when I fully master a game," says fellow Steam achievement hunter @Iceborne. "It‘s all about the satisfaction and personal pride of overcoming every last obstacle the devs threw at me!"

So it seems achievements still greatly enhance many players‘ experiences regardless of rewards.

Will We Ever See Rewards Added?

With Xbox leading the charge in monetizing achievements via rewards programs, could Steam cave and add prizes to incentive the grind?

I specualte they will stand firm given statements like Aldric Chang‘s mentioned earlier. Steam seems adamant on keeping achievements as an unobtrusive addon. Following in Xbox‘s footsteps could undermine their design philosophy.

That said, Valve is typically receptive to community feedback. If demands for rewards escalate among Steam‘s most devoted power users, we may see some concessions like perks or basic account customizations for reaching completion milestones.

But I wouldn‘t hold my breath for Steam to embrace rewards as fully as Xbox has. Their different achievement ideologies seem firmly entrenched.

The Thrill of the Hunt

While the issue of rewards remains hotly contested, I‘ve realized obsessing over prizes misses the point for us die-hard achievement hunters. We persist in this insane hobby because we genuinely enjoy mastering games‘ deepest challenges and experiencing all their content.

Sure, bragging rights and showcases are nice external validations. But nothing beats the raw exhiliration of seeing the words "Achievement Unlocked" flash across your screen.

So to all you fellow completionists on Steam, I salute you! Let our crazy quests for 100% completion stand as a labor of love and badges of honor as we indulge our passion. Forget the rewards…the thrill of the hunt shall suffice!