Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Trending
  • Crimson Desert
  • Pokopia
  • Arc Raiders
  • The Boys S5
  • Starfield
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
Don't miss these
Slay the Spire 2 classes
Roguelike Games Slay the Spire 2 devs were caught off guard by 13,000 negative Steam review spike
Gabe Newell in a white shirt
Games "Gabe cannot buy yachts with wishlists": Steam expert begs devs to make the most of their hit games
Half-Life 2 key art.
Games Former Half-Life 2 writer calls out Epic CEO over layoffs, says Valve is "better" at making money
Samson
Action Games Just Cause lead made Samson because he is sick of "swallowing all the crap the industry feeds us"
Nvidia comparison tool featuring Grace from Resident Evil Requiem and DLSS 5 switched off on left and enabled on right.
Desktop PCs Nvidia's own DLSS 5 video was blocked on YouTube thanks to an Italian TV station
Arc Raiders Shared Watch event update.
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders dev uses clip of Shroud summing up "game dev in a nutshell" to reinforce how Embark "failed"
People Playground
Games "Malicious" mod that deletes files spreading through Steam just like John Carpenter's The Thing, says dev of sandbox hit
Team Fortress 2 Scout in a hat and headset smiling
Games PC gamers and Steam customers are "a really bright spot" as the games industry struggles with prices, analyst says
Arc Raiders character in witch huntress skin holding a shotgun in the dark
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders Steam reviews wobble as it's called "very frustrating" and labelled "stale"
GTA 6 characters from trailer 2
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 prankster comes clean after response to viral 'leak' was "way bigger than I expected"
Helldivers 2 soldier with an explosion reflecting in their visor
Third Person Shooters As death threats derail Helldivers 2's wholesome D10 challenge, devs address “increasing hostility in the community”
Arc Raiders cover art with three raiders
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders boss can tell anti-cheat efforts are working since there's "an influx of people trying to get to the studio"
Three Highguard characters strike dramatic poses heading into battle
FPS Games Hours after launch, Highguard has "Mostly Negative" reviews and a peak of 97,000 players on Steam
Ashes of Creation cinematic trailer screenshot shows a character looking at a tall statue.
MMO Games Steam is giving some players refunds for Ashes of Creation after leadership resignation and mass layoffs
Counter-Strike 2
FPS Games Valve thinks reloading in Counter-Strike 2 needed "higher stakes" after 27 years, so leftover ammo is getting dumped
  1. Games
  2. Action
  3. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

YouTube deceit wagon builds speed as PsiSyndicate admits to rigged Counter-Strike videos

News
By Connor Sheridan published 5 July 2016

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

It looks like that scandal involving two Counter-Strike: Global Offensive YouTubers and the gambling site they secretly owned was just the first domino to fall. Now PsiSyndicate (not to be confused with ProSyndicate, one of the two previously mentioned) has posted a new video where he comes clean about participating in rigged weapon skin unboxing videos in exchange for free, rare items from another site.

And by "coming clean" I mean spending about two-thirds of the eight-minute video patting himself on the back for fessing up without anybody forcing his hand: "I could just never talk about them and people would not bring them up, but I just feel it's a better option to just talk about them, and admit what happened, and move on with your life and learn from your mistakes."

PsiSyndicate says the weapon skins he received as part of the undisclosed deal with item gambling site SteamLoto were worth $3,200 in total, though he's quick to point out that he gave away almost everything from the deal to viewers. "I'm not trying to make it sound like I'm an angel, but I did try to make it ok, kind of?"

Article continues below
You may like
  • Counter-Strike 2 release trailer screenshot showing an old-style white desktop PC running the Counter-Strike menu atop a wooden desk Valve hit with new lawsuit over Steam market, with claims loot boxes "satisfy every element" of gambling by definition
  • Arc Raiders screenshots Arc Raiders streamer who popularized dupe exploit only gets a warning, fans wonder if Embark is serious about fair play
  • A woman in a space helmet stares at something off the screen in Arc Raiders Fed up with Arc Raiders cheaters, FPS streamer Shroud claims "this game is so s**t" and Embark "actually doesn't care"

I'm glad PsiSyndicate owned up to misleading his audience, but I'm not sure he appreciates what he really did wrong if he thinks giving away the ill-gotten skins would make it ok. As he admits, the video where he opens up the Dragon Lore skin is his most popular "by a while". He monetizes his YouTube videos, so whatever money he got from posting the undisclosed advertising is tainted as well, not to mention all the new subscribers he may have earned under false pretenses.

As PsiSyndicate observes, there are all kinds of temptations out there for YouTubers, streamers, and pretty much anybody with an audience and no direct oversight. Doing unethical crap gets complicated fast; I wonder how long this wave of house-cleaning confessions will continue.

Seen something newsworthy? Tell us!

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
PC Gaming Platforms
Connor Sheridan
Connor Sheridan
Social Links Navigation
Former GamesRadar+ News Writer

I got a BA in journalism from Central Michigan University - though the best education I received there was from CM Life, its student-run newspaper. Long before that, I started pursuing my degree in video games by bugging my older brother to let me play Zelda on the Super Nintendo. I've previously been a news intern for GameSpot, a news writer for CVG, and was formerly a staff writer at GamesRadar+.

Read more
Counter-Strike 2 release trailer screenshot showing an old-style white desktop PC running the Counter-Strike menu atop a wooden desk
FPS Games Valve hit with new lawsuit over Steam market, with claims loot boxes "satisfy every element" of gambling by definition
 
 
Arc Raiders screenshots
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders streamer who popularized dupe exploit only gets a warning, fans wonder if Embark is serious about fair play
 
 
A woman in a space helmet stares at something off the screen in Arc Raiders
Third Person Shooters Fed up with Arc Raiders cheaters, FPS streamer Shroud claims "this game is so s**t" and Embark "actually doesn't care"
 
 
Counter Strike 2 screenshot on PC showing gunfight
Games Valve sued over loot boxes as state of New York demands "full restitution" for players
 
 
Team Fortress 2 screenshot of the Heavy shouting
Games Valve says loot boxes are like "Pokemon, Magic the Gathering, and Labubu" as it pushes back against New York lawsuit
 
 
Counter-Strike 2
FPS Games Valve thinks reloading in Counter-Strike 2 needed "higher stakes" after 27 years, so leftover ammo is getting dumped
 
 
Latest in Action
Samson
Action Games Just Cause lead made Samson because he is sick of "swallowing all the crap the industry feeds us"
 
 
Street Fighter 6
The Legend of Zelda Street Fighter 6 director says Shigeru Miyamoto is "a North Star guiding all game creators"
 
 
GTA 6 characters from trailer 2
Grand Theft Auto Former GTA 6 artist "can't wait" for Trailer 3, but warns the final game won't look exactly like that
 
 
Star Fox
Action Games Rumored new Star Fox game will be announced this month, leaker claims, so keep an eye on the Nintendo Today app
 
 
Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
The Legend of Zelda Stardew Valley creator Eric Barone says Link's Awakening is his favorite Zelda game because it has an "indie" feel
 
 
A zoomed-in screenshot from Samson, showing a man walking along a city street at night.
Action Games As GTA 6 looms, Just Cause lead isn't put off by comparisons to Rockstar's game as he prepares to release Samson
 
 
Latest in News
Baldur's Gate 3
Third Person Shooters Baldur's Gate 3 Halsin actor "burst out laughing" when he got the script for the RPG's most infamous scene
 
 
A Crimson Desert villain snarls at the camera
Open World Games Crimson Desert's "enemy density issue is very real in the late game," says Palworld publishing chief
 
 
Spyro the Dragon
Platforming Games PlayStation legend Mark Cerny tried to kick off the Spyro the Dragon speedrunning scene in 1998
 
 
Headshot of Todd Howard, executive producer and game director of Bethesda Game Studios. Image supplied to GamesRadar by BGS.
Games Ex-Bethesda senior artist says Todd Howard would tell devs "we can do anything but we can't do everything"
 
 
Tyrion in Game of Thrones
Sci-Fi Shows Alien: Earth season 2 adds Game of Thrones icon Peter Dinklage in a mystery role
 
 
The First Berserker: Khazan female protagonist version grabs a greatsword
Action RPGs Despite good reviews, The First Berserker Khazan development team reportedly dissolved
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Baldur's Gate 3
    1
    "Oh, we're going there" – Baldur's Gate 3 Halsin actor "burst out laughing" when he got the script for the RPG's most infamous scene
  2. 2
    Crimson Desert's "enemy density issue is very real in the late game," says Palworld publishing chief, so head to this spot for challenges
  3. 3
    PlayStation legend Mark Cerny tried to kick off the Spyro the Dragon speedrunning scene back in 1998, and he held the world record for 12 years
  4. 4
    Alien: Earth season 2 adds Game of Thrones icon Peter Dinklage in a mystery role
  5. 5
    Skyrim and Fallout artist says Todd Howard would tell devs "we can do anything but we can't do everything," and 95% of player-reported issues were flagged internally before launch

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...