The Evolution Of Gaming Brings New Ways To Spend Money |
Posted: March 7, 2017 |
If you're a gamer in your 30th, you probably remember how simple gaming was back in the day. No subscriptions, digital keys, and constant updating – just a few cartridges to swap with friends. Of course, the games were less sophisticated, but the feeling of pure joy was somehow more real. Maybe, we got spoiled over time. Gaming became more about doing business than having fun. And, while small indie developers still bring us something simple to enjoy, the heavyweight players of the industry are all about making money. This trend, in particular, can be traced by taking a detailed look at the market of in-game items.
In-game items make you right up there In-game items were created as a source of additional profit inside a game. This statement doesn't apply to mobile developers, for whom the sale of such virtual objects is often the only method of monetization. In-game items were brought to make a character more powerful and give its owner a better chance to win a fight, race, mission, etc. It sounds a bit unfair but makes plenty of sense to people who spend at least a half dozen hours a week next to their PC or console. But the Valve Corporation with its Team Fortress 2, Dota 2, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) went against the logic and created the in-game items with strictly cosmetic value.
Skins that changed the whole industry CS:GO currently is a leader in this field. Its items are called skins. They don't influence the characters in any way except for giving them and their weapons a more stylish look. Some players are ready to spend massive amounts of money for an unusual design of their rifle or a knife. Skins are typically received when playing CS:GO, but also can be bought at Steam Community Market, which is owned by Valve, by the way. Most of them are reasonably priced, and this industry doesn't seem to be very successful, however, keep in mind that Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has millions of monthly active players. The profit from their trade is rather high considering that Valve takes the 15% fee from every CS:GO related acquisition. The fact that you can't withdraw the funds from Steam Market but only use them for buying something else on the platform makes the final revenue even bigger.
This limitation started the whole new business of skin trading. Independent platforms pay real money for skins by lowering their price. Most of them serve as a place for trade listings. Others, like https://skins.cash/, buy CS:GO items immediately by offering various payment methods and currencies. There are even online casinos that use skins as chips.
Can you imagine buying a a $300 golden hat for your Super Mario in 1990s? A lot has changed.
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