What Changes Will Skins Have in Counter-Strike 2?

The ability to collect skins has been one of the important elements of the game for the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO) community since the early years of the game. It is not surprising that many fans of CS: GO are concerned about the fate of skins after the release of Counter-Strike 2. It is currently in closed beta testing, but the developers are expanding the number of participants from time to time. If you are interested in the changes related to Counter-Strike 2 skins, then this article written by eZstah is for you. While waiting for the access to Counter-Strike 2 to open, you can track CS:GO live stats for matches on the Profiler platform.

Will skins be transferred to the new version of the game?

Back in March 2023, when the Counter-Strike 2 closed beta was first announced, the skin market responded with some price drops. The fact is that initially, it was not clear what would happen to skin collections when switching to the new version. However, the developers quickly clarified the situation. Valve has officially confirmed that all inventories will be carried over to Counter-Strike 2 (CS2). As a result, the market quickly recovered from the fall, and the cost of items returned to their original values.

Interestingly, according to analysts, the game update itself may affect the cost of some skins. On Source 2, the new version of the engine used in CS2, many game items look noticeably better. This is especially true for skins that use special effects in their decoration. For example, Doppler-painted knives shimmer brightly thanks to the new lighting system. This is also noticeable on some firearm skins, particularly on Case Hardened or gradient items. This effect may affect holographic and metallic stickers, which means they may also become more expensive. Let’s look at the skin changes in more detail.

What do skins look like in Counter-Strike 2?

In August 2023, the maximum number of CS: GO players reached 1,369,511 people. Perhaps every player, a representative of the US gaming community from Los Angeles or a player from Copenhagen who wants to be like Martin “stavn” Lund from the Heroic team, is interested in updates to CS 2. Of course, high-quality graphics are most noticeable on maps redesigned for the new engine, but skins were not deprived of attention from the developers. Next, we will talk about three categories of innovations and also figure out how the most improved skins in CS 2 differ from their counterparts in CS: GO.

Improvement for AWP skins and skins with a golden design

Let’s start with the most popular weapon – AWP. You may have heard about the Sun in Leo skin, which was valuable in the old Counter-Strike version solely for its rarity. Otherwise, the skin had a dull color and a pattern without contrasts. But in CS 2, the skin literally blossomed. The new engine gave the skin a chance, adding a rich purple color, a metallic sheen, and clarity to the design.

Fans of gold shades can also rejoice because there is evidence that their favorite color looks absolutely stunning in CS 2. For example, the Gold Brick for the MAC-10 is a great example.

It is interesting that Valve, in the FAQ for skin makers, specifically notes the uselessness of gold coloring. However, sometimes Valve nevertheless accepts such skins despite its own prohibitions.

Gold Brick was lucky to get into CS: GO and doubly lucky to get into CS 2 because, due to the cool graphics, the skin in CS 2 began to shimmer coolly in the sun and look like a real gold bar.

Improvements for AK-47 and Glock-18 skins

Now, let’s look at the skin updates for the legendary AK-47 weapon. Legion of Anubis is one of the most impressive skins to receive an update. This is an Egyptian-style skin depicting the god Ra, who represents life, and the god Anubis, who symbolizes death. The creator of the skin put an interesting meaning into it. Thus, the AK-47 saves the owner’s life of the weapon, killing the enemy and bringing death to him.

This skin was not very expensive, but beautiful and therefore popular among gamers. It attracts attention with many small details and patterns. With the updated graphics in CS 2, the color of the skin has become more saturated. So, the Legion of Anubis is still a great option for the AK-47.

Players noticed a huge update in the Twilight Galaxy skin for Glock-18. In CS: GO, this skin looked pale and undeveloped. Using the Source 2 engine, the developers managed to add brightness to the skin, make the stars on it more visible and shiny, and give the nondescript skin in CS 2, in fact, a second chance.

Skin updates for MP9 and P2000

We can’t help but notice the cool change in Hot Rod for MP9. At first glance, the skin looks simple, but in the sun’s rays in CS 2, the skin looks incomparable. The design of this skin may well distract from the game.

Another skin with a wow effect that you can easily get stuck on is Imperial Dragon for P2000. This is a very bright and colorful skin, where a fire-breathing dragon is depicted on the barrel of a gun. In CS 2, the design became even more amazing. You can notice clearly drawn scales, contrast, and the transition of gradients from dark to light.

Skin updates for M4A4 and Desert Deagle

Among the budget skin options in CS 2, Magnesium for M4A4 stands out. Previously, this skin was very simple and discreet. This is not surprising because it has a gray color with silver accents. However, the dull gray color that dominated the CS: GO graphics played out completely differently in the new Counter-Strike due to the addition of brightness. Analysts expect the price of this skin to increase slightly.

Another skin that didn’t particularly stand out in CS: GO is Bronze Deco for Desert Deagle. In CS 2, dull bronze looks much better, and textures have become clearer and brighter.

Wrapping it up

The Counter-Strike 2 update brings many pleasant new products for players – opportunities to improve the gaming experience and also earn money on skins. We recommend using the services of the Profilerr platform to learn more about the game settings and get to know the game tactics of the best players. 

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