Valve Faces Heavy Backlash for Changes to PGL Major Player Signature Stickers

Valve has finally given an update on the 'Signature Capsules' for the PGL Major Stockholm 2021, but it is not the one that the CS:GO community was expecting. According to the developers, only those players will be receiving autographed stickers whose teams manage to make it to the final stage of the tournament - New Champions Stage.

This means that only the final eight CS:GO teams will be receiving the coveted player signature stickers, essentially those that make it to the quarterfinals, semifinals, and the grand finals.

The update has not been received well by the majority of the community members. Fans are expressing huge disappointment as this majorly benefits the top CS:GO teams that are most likely to qualify for the playoffs, but are technically the ones that least require it in terms of necessity.

CS:GO community expresses disappointment as Valve announces player stickers only for the top eight teams

As CS:GO players started to drop hints about Valve requesting them to submit their signatures, the hype within the community increased as everyone was now more or less certain about the arrival of the autographed player stickers.

However, their hopes came crashing down today as an update from Valve stated that only the top eight teams will be receiving the PGL Major 2021 signature stickers.

These will be available for purchase after the Major concludes instead of before the tournament, as they are contingent upon the placement of the final eight teams.

Also, the sticker collection will not be referred to as 'Stockholm 2021 Contenders/Challengers/Legends Autograph Capsules' which is usually the norm. This time it has been renamed to 'Stockholm 2021 Finalists/Champions Autograph Capsule'.

The community at large has expressed massive disappointment with this decision taken by Valve, referring to it as poor and short-sighted in general. Majority of them have pointed out that Valve has negated the purpose of these player and team-oriented cosmetics. Such autograph stickers were essentially for the smaller organizations along with its members, to provide them with recognition and associated monetary benefits.

Another point touched upon is that most of the smaller teams are unlikely to make it to the playoffs. Hence, many players that have participated in so many RMR tournaments since last year to secure a slot at the PGL Major will be walking away without even getting a sticker to their name.

At the moment this decision just contributes to the success of the bigger and stronger CS:GO teams as they will be the ones present in the top eight. There has been a call for Valve to revert this decision and include at least the top 16 teams.