Valve in a couple of days is enforcing their steam mobile authenticator on the masses. This could destroy trading and betting websites, which has the added effect of potentially very harshly hurting esports (Mainly CS, and Dota 2) How you might ask? The mobile authenticator works similar to the email confirmation. If you deal a trade you go and type a code you get from mobile. This wouldn't be an issue if you could disable it, because if you _DO_ disable it your trades don't go through for a whole *THREE DAYS* this could screw automated trading bots that are working on all trading sites. Betting is what made Valve esports so popular. Without it Valve is risking killing off esports right as it started up. Not to mention Valve is pointing the finger and saying **** you to anyone who doesn't own a smartphone or I'd using a Windows phone. They're forcing android and apple on people unintentionally. (I'm an android user, only saying) Now why would they do this?... Eh there's a possibility this is just bad foresight. But there's also the possibility Valve wants to kill trading. Valve wants more users to use the steam market place. Why would people think Valve would do this? It just do happens Valve made it so if you turn on the mobile authenticator on early before it's enforced you get... Up to *33%* off items on the market place. That's a huge amount and could even **** over item economies. The worst part? Even with so much outrage from the players Valve has said nothing except that this is still going on. Anyone that thinks Valve can do no wrong... Eh. Thoughts?
The Steam app is available on more than just Android. Smartphone coverage is pretty extensive these days. This ties in with them updating the Android app after three years of no updates, though. Did wonder what motivated that.
I mentioned android and apple. But it's not available on Windows phone. Plus nearly a third of Adult Americans don't own a smartphone. Which obviously isn't including any of the rest of the world. Europe being one of the biggest parts of the player base of CSGO, Russia being second. (US first) Where a much larger percent of people don't own smartphones. *Citation needed
No clue, the email system worked pretty much perfectly. The only reason is... People are dumb. And Valve thinks more and more safety will fix that. But because people are dumb no matter the security people will continue to get scammed.
Had no clue about all the trading stuff, so not sure it will matter that much to esports but maybe it will. But with the phone authentication maybe they can sent the code as a text, since like you said not everyone have or want android/apple smart phones. I would like a windows phone app.
Windows Phone uptake percentage is in an absolute minority (we're talking under 5% nationally in the UK across various sectors ). Simply isn't cost-effective. You also have to bear in mind that a third of adult America might not own a smartphone, but they also might not use Steam. We're comparing numbers in a vacuum I appreciate the quip, but that doesn't change what I said, sorry
For steam if they want people to use smartphones apps for security they need to support all platforms, this isn't about sales of apps on the phones, it's about customer support. I think Value is big enough to make a windows phone app also. It's not like Windows isn't a major platform for Steam.
Gambling isn't something most reputable companies want to be associated with. Online gambling is also illegal in some european countries. It's entirely possible Valve is getting called out to prevent it by governments. Especially since trading is untaxed, as opposed to the marketplace which IS taxed. You're right in that they profit more from the marketplace, but I'm not convinced that's the sole incentive.
Trading? Valve? Is this about this weird item inventory in steam that fills with random stuff? People trade that stuff? Woot?
yeah I made 1€27 with that system. I know it's ridiculously little but still. I wouldn't want it to take any kind of hit.
Betting using skins and items isnt counted as real betting. As you're not using real money, which is why it's been allowed to be here. Because it's essentially a loophole in the law. Betting is illegal in many states too afaik. And the marketplace isn't taxed by countries it's taxed by Valve. So Valve makes money off of it- as well as the game devs (if there are more devs outside of valve) It's how Valve makes money off of their drops.
Trading on Steam is huuuuuuge.. There are items worth hundreds to thousands of dollars. How have you not heard of this? https://opskins.com People trade CSGO skins, Dota 2 cosmetics, tf2 cosmetics, etc... And then often can either sell it on the market, sell it on sites like linked above (for pay pal money), or simply trade them off for an even more expensive skin/cosmetic.
Actually like I'd said before you can sell skins on sites like OP skins and make _real_ money back in the dorm of paypal money.
From Reddit: "So mobile authentication is only required if you are losing something in trades. Looks like returns might take longer to get out but other than that betting shouldn't be effected much." https://m.reddit.com/r/csgobetting/comments/3u8shk/steam_escrow_official_announcement/ This is a relief. At least.
