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Tell Me Why on Steam

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Tell Me Why is the multi-award winning episodic adventure game from Dontnod Entertainment in which twins use their supernatural bond to discover the truth of their troubled past.

Tell Me Why is a choices matter, story rich and lgbtq+ game developed by DONTNOD Entertainment and published by Xbox Game Studios.
Released on August 27th 2020 is available on Windows, Steam Deck and Steam Machine.

It has received 13,883 reviews of which 11,457 were positive and 2,426 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.1 out of 10. 😎

The game is free to play on Steam.


The Steam community has classified Tell Me Why into these genres:

Media & Screenshots

Get an in-depth look at Tell Me Why through various videos and screenshots.

System requirements

These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.

Windows
  • OS *: Windows 7 64-bit version 1903 or higher
  • Processor: Intel core i3 4130 (3.4 Ghz 2C / 4T) AMD FX 4300 (3.8 Ghz 4C / 4T)
  • Memory: 4 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Nvidia GTX 750Ti or Nvidia GTX 1050 or AMD Radeon R7 260X or AMD Radeon RX 560
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Storage: 25 GB available space

Steam Price & Best Deals

User reviews & Ratings

Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.

11 hours played
June 2026
Tell Me Why Review Tell Me Why is a neat adventure, but one let down more by its meager story than by anything else. Don’t Nod has always done a strong job creating heartwrenching stories, and while this game clearly put real care and research into its LGBTQ representation, I do feel it falls a little short of the mark and, at times, wades into troubling territory. The game does leave you with an aching sadness, but that sadness comes more from what happened to Mary-Ann and the life she lived than from the story building toward the kind of emotional crescendo Don’t Nod has reached in previous games. The voice actors do admirable work, with Alyson standing out a little more than Tyler, whose delivery sometimes leans too hard into a stoic dudebro register. Ultimately, with only three episodes, the game does not have enough time to weave its many disparate narratives into a fully cohesive and satisfying resolution. There are good ideas here, some very good ones, but they often feel like they are fighting for space in a story that needed more room to breathe. The one thing the game does genuinely well is its representation of the trans experience. As a straight man who used to be heavily religious because that is how I was brought up, I know I am ignorant on the subject in a lot of ways. But through this game, I came to understand Tyler’s struggles in a more intimate way. It opened my mind to what trans people have to deal with just to simply exist. Mouth breathers will call that propaganda, but that is because mouth breathers call anything outside their own reflection propaganda. The game is not trying to indoctrinate anyone. It is sharing a story. And if sharing the pain, dignity, fear, and humanity of marginalized people is propaganda, then you might as well call half of American history propaganda too. From Harriet Tubman, to Martin Luther King Jr., to Emmett Till, these stories are not propaganda simply because they make the comfortable uncomfortable. They are people telling the truth of what it cost them to exist. However, this also brings me to my main complaint with the game. Without getting too specific for spoiler reasons, there is a moment where something very dire occurs, and at first it appears to be rooted in a parent’s rejection of Tyler. The story seems to be pointing toward a familiar and painful kind of bigotry. But as the truth becomes clearer, the game reframes that moment as something closer to a tragic misunderstanding, and ultimately that makes me take a beat. Not because I think the game is malicious, or because I think it handles Tyler without care. I do think the care is there. But the reveal risks implying that Tyler’s fear of rejection was misplaced, rather than fully grappling with why that fear would have felt so real to him in the first place. From my limited perspective, I can imagine that for a trans child, especially one already living with confusion, isolation, and emotional instability at home, fear would not simply be some irrational invention. It would be a survival instinct. It would be the body reading the room before the mind has the words. That is where the writing becomes uncomfortable for me. The story comes close to suggesting that Tyler projected hostility where there may not have been any, and while that may work as individual tragedy, it becomes more complicated when placed inside a story about trans identity. It brushes against the same kind of dismissive logic used against women when they are told to calm down, or against minorities when they are told they are imagining prejudice. Maybe they are not imagining it. Maybe they have simply learned, through experience, what danger sounds like before it fully announces itself. So I respect Tell Me Why. I admire what it is trying to do. I think its heart is in the right place, and I think Tyler is handled with more humanity than a lot of games would have managed. But I also think the story needed more time, more precision, and maybe a little more courage in its final stretch. It wants to be a story about memory, trauma, identity, and family, but by the end, it feels like it only has enough space to gesture at those things rather than fully land them. A thoughtful game, an important game in some ways, but not quite a great one. A 7/10 for me, which is on my scale a good game, but not quite an 8 and great.
13 hours played
May 2026
A really enjoyable game :) I've enjoyed other previous games by DONTNOD, and this scratches the same itch. I really liked the two main characters and their story arc. The main plot itself is good, but not fantastic - where some of the plot points were heading weren't too surprising. But I still enjoyed myself - the emotional moments hit the right spot, and it was refreshing "only" having 3 episodes to go through. And, well, it was free when I got it, so all the better :) A nice 8/10 in my opinion.
12 hours played
March 2026
Tell Me Why is honestly an amazing experience from start to finish. After completing the game, I can say it really stayed with me in a way that not many games do. The storytelling is the strongest part - it's emotional, well-written & keeps u invested in the characters the entire time. The bond between the twins feels real & deep & the choices u make add weight to the story in a meaningful way. It's one of those games where u're not just playing, u're feeling everything alongside the characters. The atmosphere, music & pacing all come together beautifully to support the narrative. It's not about action or fast gameplay, but about immersion & emotional impact - & it absolutely delivers on that. Overall, i loved every moment of it. Tell Me Why is a powerful, memorable game that I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys story-driven experiences.
18 hours played
March 2026
I don't know why people say this is a bad game, sometimes the pacing is kind of slow, sure. Sometimes the trans awareness is shoved in your face, sure. It can be a little corny. But I also think it's great representation the world needs right now and overall the story has great writing and has great writing about mental health and mental health awareness, how community can build and at the same time fall apart. The nuances of it all. To be honest, I think there are people just as corny and white as Tyler in real life, so I don't even blame the writers for that. I do hate Alyson though. She's a pretty well written character, just wish she wasn't there. That's my only nitpick with this game.
9 hours played
March 2026
Tell Me Why is a game that makes you uncomfortable in a good way. It says that truth is not objective, memory is not objective; that's something personal each person needs to decide on for themselves and their family in order to move forwards. I only wish I got more time with these characters, they're so fleshed out and human.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, Tell Me Why is free to play on Steam.

Tell Me Why is not on sale because is already free to play on Steam.

Yes, Tell Me Why received 11,457 positive votes out of a total of 13,883 achieving a rating of 8.07.
😎

Tell Me Why was developed by DONTNOD Entertainment and published by Xbox Game Studios.

Yes, Tell Me Why is playable and fully supported on Windows.

No, Tell Me Why is not playable on MacOS.

No, Tell Me Why is not playable on Linux.

Yes, Tell Me Why is playable on Steam Deck, though it might require a few minor tweaks. Make sure to check the Steam store page and community feedback on ProtonDB for exact compatibility details.

Yes, Tell Me Why is playable on Steam Machine, though it might require a few minor tweaks. Make sure to check the Steam store page and community feedback on ProtonDB for exact compatibility details.

No, Tell Me Why does not support VR.

Tell Me Why is a single-player game.

Yes, there are 3 DLCs available for Tell Me Why. Explore additional content available for Tell Me Why on Steam.

No, Tell Me Why does not support mods via Steam Workshop.

No, Tell Me Why does not support Steam Remote Play.

Yes, Tell Me Why is enabled for Steam Family Sharing. This means you can share the game with authorized users from your Steam Library, allowing them to play it on their own accounts. For more details on how the feature works, you can read the original Steam Family Sharing announcement or visit the Steam Family Sharing user guide and FAQ page.

You can find solutions or submit a support ticket by visiting the Steam Support page for Tell Me Why.

Data sources

The information presented on this page is sourced from reliable APIs to ensure accuracy and relevance. We utilize the Steam API to gather data on game details, including titles, descriptions, prices, and user reviews. This allows us to provide you with the most up-to-date information directly from the Steam platform.

Additionally, we incorporate data from the SteamSpy API, which offers insights into game sales and player statistics. This helps us present a comprehensive view of each game's popularity and performance within the gaming community.

Last Updates
Steam data 15 September 2026 04:21 UTC
SteamSpy data 11 October 2026 15:36 UTC
Steam price 15 September 2026 04:21 UTC
Steam reviews 19 October 2026 07:49 UTC

If you'd like to dive deeper into the details about Tell Me Why, we invite you to check out a few dedicated websites that offer extensive information and insights. These platforms provide valuable data, analysis, and user-generated reports to enhance your understanding of the game and its performance.

  • SteamDB - A comprehensive database of everything on Steam about Tell Me Why
  • SteamCharts - Analysis of Tell Me Why concurrent players on Steam
  • ProtonDB - Crowdsourced reports on Linux and Steam Deck Tell Me Why compatibility
Tell Me Why PEGI 16
Rating
8.1
11,457
2,426
Game modes
Features
Online players
328
Developer
DONTNOD Entertainment
Publisher
Xbox Game Studios
Release 27 Aug 2020
Platforms