Author: Gameswatch

More and more games feature elements of RNG that are not obscured from the player, but put front and center as a way of drawing them in and keeping them engaged for as long as possible. And crucially, the appeal of random rewards remains even if the likelihood of receiving anything of value is minuscule. The likes of loot boxes in multiplayer games are a great example of this, since they crop up regularly and can be tuned by developers to only drop ultra-rare, ultra-effective gear a tiny fraction of the time. So, what’s going on in the minds of…

Playing games in the cloud has been possible for many years now, although prior attempts to make it a mainstream hit have floundered, even in the hands of big players like Google and Amazon. While complaints over latency and visual artifacts were legitimate in earlier eras, especially looking back at largely forgotten cloud gaming services like OnLive, these have largely been addressed. What’s finally pushing more people to choose cloud-powered play over locally hosted experiences isn’t the technical aspects, but the cost. Let’s talk over how we’ve reached this point, and why player-owned gaming hardware might soon go extinct. The…

People play video games for all kinds of reasons, and it’s hard to pinpoint what motivates each player to keep investing time, money, and emotional equity into a virtual competition. To make the matters more complicated, players may be driven by multiple incentives or may switch from one mindset to another depending on the game and current mood. High demand for skins in Counter-Strike 2 and similar online games illustrates this complexity well. It’s a great example of an aesthetic upgrade turning into an engagement driver almost accidentally. Here is how CS2 skins revolutionised game monetisation and became a coveted…

Valve added the Revolution case to the game in early 2023, and it’s still popular because people keep opening it. It’s not surprising. The main reason is gloves, which can cost several thousand dollars. Plus, they contain popular guns with really good skins. Of course, most people choose it hoping to get the gloves or at least something from the red tier. But even the simpler skins in this case are not disappointing. They have a design that’s rarely forgotten. Intrigued? Let’s see what’s in there. Budget Segment: Restricted Skins Restricted skins are the mid-price segment for this case, as…

Look at the App Store charts on any given Tuesday and you’ll see something that would have been unthinkable a decade ago. Cozy games — slow, quiet, low-stakes titles with no failure states and no time pressure — are consistently outperforming action games, shooters, and competitive multiplayer titles in raw downloads and retention metrics. The console side tells the same story. Unpacking sold over a million copies. A Little to the Left became a sleeper hit. Dorfromantik turned a meditative tile-laying puzzle into a category-defining game. The data underneath this is even more interesting than the surface trend. Cozy puzzle…

Online casinos have this remarkable way of reinventing themselves on a regular occasion. Well, less reinvention, more evolution. It’s an industry that’s continually on the cusp of new invention and technology, and many other areas of gaming often follow suit. We only have to look at the rise of social casinos to see that, with elements of what you see in the likes of LoneStar social casino, then adopted by console and other areas of online play. That social element has become the norm across many areas of gaming, including casinos. But what’s next, particularly with the recent advances in…

The world of Counter-Strike 2 has long since ceased to be just a competitive shooter. For millions of players, it’s also a vast virtual economy, centered on skins. Players spend a lot of time watching streams, monitoring marketplaces, and debating which skin is the coolest. But when it comes to purchasing, even the most beautiful skin can have a different price. Why? It all depends on the level of wear. Let’s explore how skin wear levels transform seemingly identical skins into items with completely different price tags. What Is Skin Wear in CS2? Technically, skin wear determines its visual appeal.…

The God of Highschool was without a doubt one of the most hyped anime of summer 2020. The series quickly gained attention, especially thanks to its top-tier animation and impressive fight scenes. However, after a first season with 13 episodes, things came to a halt. Since then, there has been little news about The God of Highschool, leaving fans wondering whether a second season of the shonen anime will ever be released. What Is The God of High School About? The story of The God of High School is straightforward. At the center of it all is Jin Mori, a…

Beastars centers on Legoshi, a wolf struggling to keep his predatory instincts in check while falling for a rabbit named Haru. Anyone who has followed the anime knows just how deep the story can go and what a central role character development and social themes play throughout. There are plenty of reasons to love Beastars. Its anthropomorphic characters may take some getting used to, but that’s part of what makes it so unique. It’s also why fans of the series are holding out hope for Beastars Season 4. But is there any chance of a continuation actually happening? Beastars: Will…

Tower of God is an anime based on a webtoon that has captivated audiences worldwide. Despite this, Tower of God Season 3 is still missing. Where is the eagerly awaited sequel?The rise of webtoons in recent years has been undeniable. Alongside Solo Leveling, Tower of God is one of the most popular series to emerge from the Korean comics craze. It’s no surprise, then, that Tower of God was quickly adapted into an anime. After two seasons, however, fans are now wondering when the journey will continue. Where is Tower of God Season 3? As mentioned, Tower of God has…