CS:GO player count dips after Valve starts charging $15 for Ranked
A recent effort to curb cheating in CS:GO may be affecting the player base of one of Steam's biggest games. In a June 3 patch, Valve issued a complete rework of CS:GO's Prime status, a designation required to play Competitive that players previously earned by playing enough of the game or buying it. From June onward, Prime status can only be bought for a flat $15, turning a soft play wall into a firm paywall...
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