M80 player Michael "Swisher" Schmid recently spoke with HLTV about his team's performance and addressed the controversial sticker system that Valve introduced at the IEM Cologne Major.
Like many professional players, Swisher wasn't impressed with the new approach to sticker sales. The revamped system allowed fans to purchase individual stickers directly, but at a higher cost compared to the previous capsule-based model. The old system let players buy capsules at a set price with the possibility of unboxing more valuable stickers, which created excitement and incentive for purchases.
Swisher highlighted how the changes negatively affected organizations across the board, with smaller teams taking the hardest hit. "I think everybody suffered, especially tier-two, tier-three orgs," he explained. The financial impact on these organizations could be significant, as sticker revenue represents an important income stream.
Looking ahead, Swisher expressed worry that Valve might maintain the current system despite the backlash. "I think Valve isn't one to go back on things too often, which is a bit of a scare for everybody," he noted.
Despite his concerns, Swisher remains cautiously optimistic that the developer will respond to community feedback. "Everyone is just hoping that they actually look into that, take the feedback that they got, and adjust accordingly," he said. The reduced sales figures and widespread criticism from the community may push Valve to reconsider their approach for future events.
