Counter-Strike 2 confirms CSGO skins transfer and benefit from new lighting and more

Calum Patterson
skin in counter-strike 2

Counter-Strike 2, announced by Valve as the next game in the CS:GO franchise, will carry over all of players’ skins and cosmetic items, the publisher has confirmed.

One concern players had with the move to Source 2 was how it would impact their skins, some of which are worth a significant amount of money.

It should come as no surprise, but as a relief to many, that all of your inventory will transfer over.

What will happen to skins in Counter-Strike 2?

“Bring your entire CS:GO inventory with you to Counter-Strike 2,” Valve said on the official blog post.

skins in counter-strike 2

“Not only will you keep every item you’ve collected over the years, but they’ll all benefit from Source 2 lighting and materials,” the publisher added.

This means that skin designs remain relatively unchanged, but some knife finishes for example, now have a lot more glow and shine to them.

New weapon models in Counter-Strike 2

However, what is not unchanged are the weapon models themselves.

Shown in Valve’s preview of skins, some weapons have slightly altered models, such as the AK-47, AWP, M4A1-S and M4A4.

“In addition to supporting legacy models and finishes, all stock weapons have been upgraded with high-resolution models, and some weapon finishes take advantage of these new models,” Valve confirmed

Counter-Strike 2 new weapon models
The original design (top) and a slightly altered design (bottom) are both on display.

With more players coming into Counter-Strike, prices for skins may increase even more than they have in recent years.

Other changes in Counter-Strike 2 include upgrades to the maps, smokes and tickrate.

For more on Counter-Strike 2, check out the rest of our coverage:

How to play Counter-Strike 2 limited beta test | Is Counter-Strike 2 going to be free to play? | What is sub-tick in Counter-Strike 2? | All smoke changes in Counter-Strike 2 | Can you play Counter-Strike 2 on Linux or macOS? | Can banned CS:GO players play Counter-Strike 2? | Will Counter-Strike 2 come to Steam Deck? | Valve officially reveals Counter-Strike 2 | Everything we know about Counter-Strike 2

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About The Author

Calum is Dexerto's Managing Editor, based in Scotland. Joining Dexerto in 2017, Calum has years of experience covering esports, gaming and online entertainment, and now leads the team to deliver the best coverage in these areas. An expert on all things Twitch and gaming influencers, he's also an expert in popular shooters like Apex Legends, CS2 and Call of Duty. You can contact Calum at calum.patterson@dexerto.com.