The introduction of the Steam Marketplace, which allowed players to sell items to each other, gave these skins a defined market value. Players were able to change the appearances of their guns with colorful skins, and could use stickers bearing the logos of their favorite pro teams to customize them even further.
While other games had their own similar setups that enjoyed varying levels of success, the fandom that supported this feature the most was Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. As time went on, Valve expanded it throughout all of Steam and made microtransactions a major feature in nearly all of its titles. This functionality was also integrated into the Dota 2 client.
The Mann-Conomy Update was a smashing success and Valve reaped significant financial rewards as players purchased new items and loot box keys. But the biggest additions of all were an item shop that used real-life currency and the ability to trade items with friends. The patch introduced a number of new cosmetics, weapons, and features to the game. In 2010, Valve introduced the Mann-Conomy Update to hero shooter Team Fortress 2. What is skin betting in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive? It’s worth looking back at CSGO skin betting, tracking its history, and looking at where things stand with it today. So what was skin betting? What happened to it? Why isn’t it as much of a phenomenon anymore?