CS2 Skins

Skins, also known as finishes, are unique to Counter-Strike 2, having been introduced with the Arms Deal update. These are cosmetic textures for weapons, adding visual variety without affecting gameplay. The allure of skins lies in their aesthetic appeal and their ability to showcase a player's personal style within the game.

Acquiring Skins

Players can obtain skins through several methods:

1. Random Drops: Earned during gameplay on community and official servers.
2. Opening Containers: Such as weapon cases or souvenir packages.
3. Trade Up Contracts: Trading 10 skins of the same rarity for one of a higher rarity.
4. Steam Market: Purchasing directly from other players.
5. Player Trades: Direct trading with other players.

Many skins come with special descriptions, adding flavor text that often references characters from CS

campaigns. This narrative element can deepen the connection players feel to their skins, making them more than just visual enhancements.

Skin Grades

Weapon skins are categorized by quality grades, indicating their rarity and value:

• White (Common): Consumer Grade, Base Grade
• Baby Blue (Uncommon): Industrial Grade
• Navy Blue (Rare): Mil-Spec, High Grade
• Purple (Mythical): Restricted, Remarkable
• Hot Pink (Legendary): Classified, Exotic
• Red (Ancient): Covert, Extraordinary
• Gold (Exceedingly Rare): Rare Special (★), Knife, Gloves
• Rose Gold (Immortal): Contraband (Discontinued)

Items classified as Rare Special and Contraband do not drop but use the Legendary and Ancient class drop sounds in the item schema. This system creates a dynamic economy within the game, where the rarity and visual appeal of skins can drive significant market value.

Skin Quality

In the Steam Market and in-game inventory, skins typically have a white border around their preview icon, except for:

• Purple: Rare Special (★) items (Knives, Gloves)
• Yellow: Souvenir items
• Orange: StatTrak™ items
• Dark Green: Genuine items (P250 - X-Ray, Collectable Pins)
• Light Green: Prototype items (Skin Creator Keys, Map Contributor Coins)

Stock weapon "skins" are color-coded dark brown in the inventory but are not tradable or marketable, used mainly for sorting purposes. This color-coding helps players quickly identify the type and rarity of their items.

StatTrak™

StatTrak™ is a weapon quality that tracks the number of kills made by the weapon's owner. Kills do not transfer upon trading. StatTrak™ kills can be transferred between StatTrak™ weapons of the same class using a StatTrak™ Swap Tool.

Weapons with StatTrak™ quality can be obtained from weapon cases or by trading up with StatTrak™ skins. While map-themed collections don't usually include StatTrak™ quality, a bug during Operation Riptide briefly allowed for such skins, which were later patched. StatTrak™ items add an extra layer of prestige and competitiveness, as they display a player's skill and accomplishments.

Skin Properties

Wear Rating (Float): A weapon skin's float value, determined when it drops or is unboxed, simulates its condition. A float closer to 0 means a cleaner skin, while closer to 1 indicates more wear. The rarity of floats follows a bell curve, with Factory New and Battle-Scarred being the rarest.

Certain skins have float caps, such as the P250 - Whiteout, which cannot have a float below 0.06 or above 0.80. Some finishes have unique effects at different wear levels, including hidden details at higher floats.

Floats never degrade and cannot be changed. The hierarchy from best to worst is:

• Factory New (0.00-0.07)
• Minimal Wear (0.07-0.15)
• Field Tested (0.15-0.37)
• Well Worn (0.37-0.44)
• Battle Scarred (0.44-1.00)

Pattern Template: Skin appearance can vary due to texture offsets and displacement, stored as a pattern index seed between 1 and 1000. Some patterns, like the "blue gem" on the AK-47 - Case Hardened, are more valuable. The pattern system allows for endless variations, making each skin potentially unique and adding another layer of collectibility.

Skin Finishes: Skins can adopt various finishes, each with unique application methods:

• Solid Color: Painted with up to four unique colors before reassembly (e.g., AUG - Storm).
• Spray Paint: Multiple coats through stencil patterns (e.g., AUG - Radiation Hazard).
• Hydrographic: Lowered through a hydrographic film (e.g., AUG - Copperhead).
• Anodized: Colored candy coat over a chrome base (e.g., AUG - Anodized Navy).
• Anodized Airbrushed: Freehand airbrushing effect (e.g., AUG - Amber Fade).
• Anodized Multicolored: Multicolored candy coat pattern (e.g., AUG - Flame Jörmungandr).
• Patina: Chemical reaction forming a hardened shell (e.g., AK-47 - Case Hardened).
• Custom Paint: Fully customized looks (e.g., AUG - Momentum).
• Gunsmith: Combination of patina and custom paint styles (e.g., AUG - Aristocrat).

Each finish style brings a unique aesthetic, allowing players to find skins that match their personal tastes and preferences.

Skin Collections

Excluding knife skins, weapon skins are grouped by collections based on themes like maps or external concepts (e.g., Gods and Monsters Collection). The collection of a dropped skin isn't tied to the map being played.

Opening weapon cases gives one weapon from the case's collection. This system encourages players to collect and trade skins, driving the in-game economy and creating a sense of achievement and ownership.

Unused Content

Some skins and features were unused or removed:

• An unused "GO Camo" hydrographic finish.
• An ASCII-themed FAMAS skin.
• Items originally dropped mid-round instead of post-match.
• Spectators once could inspect players' weapons.

These unused elements reflect the evolving nature of game development and the continuous effort to enhance player experience.

Trivia

• Weapon finishes are called "PaintKits" in game files.
• Skins were initially intended to wear down over time, a concept abandoned after testing.
• Developers' rarity predictions were incorrect; players preferred unique, brightly colored skins.
• Unused qualities exist in the files, including "UNNAMED," "Clandestine," "Well-Designed," and others.

The Arms Deal 3 Collection is unique, consisting entirely of pistol skins. This collection stands out, highlighting the diverse range of skins available and the attention to detail in their design.