CSGO skins versus NFTs – one is a game, the other is a gamble

pcgamesn.com:

CSGO skins were ahead of their time. If I had told you ten years ago that gamers could make a fortune by playing an online shooter, opening little digital cases, and selling what was inside, it might have sounded bizarre. But Valve’s FPS game was a trailblazer, forming the blueprint for what we now call the ‘non-fungible token,’ or NFT. Long before the bored apes, CSGO players were trading virtual items. Naturally, then, NFT collectors may be curious about investing in CSGO skins, but though they may seem similar, the two commodities are vastly different.

At first glance, NFTs and skins are almost the same. They’re both virtual, both traded online, and both have the seeming potential to make their owners some quick money. However, while NFTs are primarily for investment, CSGO skins are often traded among gaming enthusiasts who use and resell them.

Since CSGO skins are solely for entertainment and beautification within Valve’s game, they are ultimately also under Valve’s control. For example, recently, Valve converted all Doodle Lore skins to Duality after copyright claims, leaving some players with contraband floats. Buyers of the eye-popping Doodle Lore were in for a surprise when they woke up to find an antique version of Duality instead. That’s just an example of how much power Valve holds over Steam accounts and the skin market.

Any digitally savvy person would think twice before leaving $500,000 stagnant on their Steam account for months, knowing Valve is the ultimate boss. CSGO players – the owners of Counter-Strike skins – don’t truly, or at least fully, control what they own. Conversely, an NFT is purely an investment, protected by the top-notch Blockchain which ensures their security. The owner of an NFT has the