10 Gaming Industry Secrets You Didn't Know
1. Cybercriminals Use Online Games For Money Laundering
Though the debate about the inclusion of predatory micro-transactions in video games - especially those aimed at younger players - continues to rage, in recent times an additional concern has emerged, that hit games such as Fortnite, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and World of Warcraft are being used by cyber-criminals and fraudsters to launder money.
This is typically achieved by purchasing in-game currency or items with stolen credit cards, and then selling said currency to unsuspecting players at an appealingly discounted rate, allowing them to effectively "clean" the ill-gotten funds.
Amid criticisms that major game publishers weren't doing enough to protect players, Valve ultimately decided to shut down trading of in-game currency in CS:GO, after their own investigation found that "nearly all" trades on the site were being sourced by fraud.
Valve is ultimately an outlier in the gaming sphere, though, and for many major video game economies, flagrant fraud continues to be rife right under everyone's noses.