Counter Strike 2: Unlocking Skins and Cosmetics

In the Counter-Strike community, there is no better indication of a player's status than having a flashy cosmetic. Counter-Strike 2 offers various types of cosmetics, including stickers, weapon skins, account customizations, and Agents, all of which can be obtained through similar means.

While the best CS2 skins often come at a high price, there are alternative methods to acquire them. Although the Operations game mode in CS:GO was a reliable source for skins, it has yet to be introduced in CS2. However, in the meantime, there are effective ways to unlock new skins in CS2 and equip cosmetics in the new UI.

How To Unlock Skins In CS2

The Weekly Care Package

In Counter-Strike 2, players are ensured of receiving a fresh skin every week, provided that they engage with the game sufficiently. Each player is assigned an XP Rank linked to their account. Every week, on Tuesday night in the U.S., players who achieve a new XP Rank are bestowed with a Weekly Care Package.

This Weekly Care Package will include four items, from which players have the option to select two. The contents of a Weekly Care Package can range from stickers, sprays, and weapon skins, with one guaranteed Case among the four items. Cases can only be opened using a matching Key, which can be purchased from the Steam Marketplace. In order to acquire the best CS2 skins and open earned cases, players will need to utilize their own funds within the Steam Marketplace. At this time, unlocking free Counter-Strike 2 skins is not possible, leaving the Steam Marketplace as the sole option for players.

The Steam Marketplace

To obtain new cosmetics in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, players can participate in various in-game modes, some of which were not originally available in CS2's initial release. Apart from utilizing the Weekly Care Package, the Steam Community Market and trading serve as the sole means for players to acquire additional skins in CS2.

Here, players can discover a variety of cosmetic items available for every aspect of the game, provided they have sufficient funds in their Steam Wallet. By selling Steam Trading Cards and unused CS2 skins, players can potentially accumulate enough credits on their Steam Account to acquire community items for CS2.

How To Equip Skins in CS2

To access the skins obtained by Counter-Strike 2 players, navigate to the "INVENTORY" section located at the top of the screen. In the redesigned CS2 interface, players will come across the loadout for either the Counter-Terrorist or Terrorist team. To switch between customizing the current team, simply click on the slightly faded model of the opposing team.

How To Change Weapon Skin in CS2

To change weapon skins in CS2, simply access the loadout menu on the center of your screen and click on a slot in the relevant column. From there, you can scroll through the available options and select your desired weapon skin to equip. For instance, if you want to equip a new AWP skin, click on the bottom cell of the "RIFLES" column and scroll until you locate your preferred skin, which will be listed separately from the standard version.

Customizing Other CS2 Cosmetics

For equipping various cosmetic items such as Agent skins, grenade skins, knife skins, Soundtracks, Account Badges, and Sprays, you can find the corresponding column adjacent to the CT or T model in the weapons loadout menu. Simply click on each icon to access the inventory and view the available equippable items. It's worth noting that while most player cosmetics can be freely equipped regardless of the side, Agents are the exception and have specific restrictions.

Counter-Strike 2

Platform(s) PCReleased September 27, 2023Developer(s) ValveEngine Source 2 Engine

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z fan, I am excited about the new Counter-Strike 2 and the ability to unlock skins and cosmetics. I think it's great that players can earn a weekly care package just by playing the game, and that there are alternative methods to acquire skins, such as purchasing them from the Steam Marketplace or trading with other players.

I'm also impressed with the variety of cosmetic items available, from stickers and weapon skins to account customizations and Agents. It's clear that Valve has put a lot of thought into making sure that players have plenty of options to personalize their experience. Overall, I think the new system for unlocking skins and cosmetics in Counter-Strike 2 is a great addition to the game and I can't wait to see what else Valve has in store for us.