When does Firewatch get good?

Give it 3 hours. In the first 2 hours almost 1 in 3 reviews are negative (30%); after 4h it's 1 in 13 (8%). Fully opens up by hour 4.

How many players finish Firewatch?

70% of players who start reach the ending.

All games

AdventureIndie

Firewatch

Feb 9, 2016 Steam: Very Positive

Give it 3 hours

Gets good by 3h almost every game dips in hours 2–3

Fully opens up by 4h rated like by long-time players

Reach the ending 70% of players who started

Started playing 79% of owners

Steam reviews 91% positive of 99,956

What the data shows

In the first 2 hours almost 1 in 3 reviews are negative (30%); after 4h it's 1 in 13 (8%).
Fully opens up by hour 4.
70% of players who start reach the ending.
The biggest drop-off is between “"Good first day."” (Completed Day 1) and “"Back to work."” (Completed Day 2): from 100% to 84% of starters.
79% of owners got the first achievement.

When it gets good

Share of positive reviews by how many hours the reviewer had played when writing the review.

before it gets good opening up fully opened up

Based on all 100,872 Steam reviews in every language. Median playtime in a sample of 299 reviews: 4.8h for positive, 4.5h for negative. Almost every game is rated lower in the first 2–3 hours: that window includes refunds and quick first impressions. What matters is how deep the dip is and how fast the game recovers.

Where players quit

Share of players who started the game and reached each story milestone. 100% is the most common achievement (79% of owners), so people who bought the game and never launched it don't count.

Started playing 100%
"Good first day." Completed Day 1 100%
"Back to work." Completed Day 2 Most players quit here 84% −16
"Someone's out here." Completed Day 76 75% −9
"Burn the place down." Completed Day 77 72% −3
Firewatch Completed Day 79 70% −2

story milestone ending biggest drop-off

Story milestones were labeled by AI from achievement names and descriptions; mistakes are possible.

All achievements (10)

story milestone ending side

"Good first day." Completed Day 1 100%
"Back to work." Completed Day 2 84%
"Someone's out here." Completed Day 76 75%
"Burn the place down." Completed Day 77 72%
Firewatch Completed Day 79 70%
Bee Plot Got stung by a bee. It happens. 59%
Love Turts Adopted a turtle as a pet. The average lifespan of a box turtle is fifty years. It will outlive you. 32%
Shutter Bug Filled a disposable camera with photos. 17%
The Life and Times of Raccoon Carter Got attacked by a raccoon; probably didn't get rabies. 15%
Ol' Shoshone Listened to the tape of "Ol' Shoshone." Cavorted among the aspens. 9.9%

Steam page Updated: 2026-10-18.