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

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.

“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

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