How the inconveniences of online trading translate to game-related services — and how to counter-strike against them. — We could start this article with a whole hailstorm of cliches fed to the modern-day reader about the expansion of online trading in all shapes and forms. It all comes down to the facts of life — the Internet is a platform that proxies most traditional goods and services, and…

How CS:GO’s Community Workshop created a new artistic industry. — Community modifications are very much the heart and soul of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. …

… and how to prepare for it. — The global Counter-Strike: Global Offensive skins market works like any other complex market. Every niche has its own rules and specificity, attracts a little bit different types of traders and investors, and has slightly different trading cycles and opportunities. Luckily, there are events that have an impact on the global…

How Video Games can be a double-edged sword in our mental health struggles. — Mental health and gaming are a topic that goes back to the beginning of our industry. Whether it be legitimate addiction concerns or unfounded scaremongering about games inciting violence in children, we’ve seen heated debates about gaming’s place in modern society over the past few years. Gaming has since largely…

…and how to prepare for it. — While trading on virtually any traditional market you have to be on the lookout for sudden events that may shift prices. The same is true for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive skin trading. Nowadays, people that know what to expect (more or less) and how to act upon those expectations are what…

How 2020 killed North America’s CS:GO momentum. — It was just over 2 years ago when North American CS seemed primed to rule the world. Cloud9 has just won the ELEAGUE Boston Major, stunning the stacked FaZe Clan in perhaps the most iconic and tense final in CS:GO History. …

…and what they did wrong. — FIFA Ultimate Team is perhaps the most profitable single game mode/concept in gaming history. Its rise lifted its producer to the position of EA CEO, and its approach led to countless copycats, but also improved iterations of the concept, creating better, more consumer-friendly microtransaction funnels. To celebrate the launch of…

The Ins and outs of user-oriented skin monetization — In the past, we’ve talked about investing, evaluation models, and other such niches considering the generally understood game-related digital goods market, basing our explanations on our expertise of CS:GO’s skins market. However, it’s about time that we cast aside the technicalities and focus on user functionality. With or without the…

…and Even Crazier Prices! We all enjoy a good story. It’s fun, right? But a good story is something more than that. It can turn something trivial into a symbol. It can change our perception and influence our choices. That’s why storytelling is such a powerful tool, especially in sales…