CS:GO is one of the most popular FPS games of all time. The story started by Doom is never going to finish, but gamers are always going to remember the Counter-Strike franchise as a game that started the revolution. Sure, it's not the most played FPS game, nor is it the newest FPS game, but it's a bastion of the FPS genre that has maintained a loyal and active player base throughout the years.

That's mainly because the CS:GO community is very involved with the game, the tournaments, and most importantly, the skins.

CS:GO, like any other game on steam, is chock full of skins, and while they don't give you any competitive advantage, they sure make the game way more fun to play. Well, if you're wondering what skins are, how they work, and what makes them special, we have the guide for you. Below, we'll talk a bit about skins, skin quality, and how you can spot a gem in hiding. 

There Many Different Skins 

To say that there are a lot of skins in CS:GO would be an understatement. There aren't a lot of skins - there's a metric ton of them. As of March 2021, there are about 953 different skins in CS:GO. That might not seem like a lot but take into account that there are only 34 weapons in the game. It means that there are about 28 wholly unique skins for each weapon in the game.

Of course, some more popular weapons like the AK will have more skins than less popular weapons such as the Negev.

What makes the skins that much better is that, unlike other games, there are no two skins that look similar unless they're a part of the same pack. Every weapon gets a unique skin set of fantastic-looking paint jobs that can be further made more fabulous with stickers' addition. 

Skin Quality Affects Price/Demand 

There are a lot of skins, but what increases that number is the quality of the skins. There are numerous quality standards for skins in CS:GO. In general, the better quality skin it is, the rare it is, meaning that it will be more valuable. 

Now, not every skin will have these standards, and just because one skin is factory new and another one is well-worn doesn't mean that the newer one will be rarer/more expensive. It's just one of the many metrics that go into determining the price of a CS:GO skin. 

Level of Rarity

Rarity is also another considerable metric when it comes to CS:GO skins. The chart for the rarity of CS:GO skins is as follows:

• Consumer-grade
• Industrial grade
• Mil-spec
• Restricted
• Classified
• Covert
• Exceedingly Rare
• Contraband

Depending on the rarity of the skins, the value is sure to rise or drop. A consumer-grade skin is not going to cost a lot, but a contraband skin is. Especially because contraband skins are skins that are discontinued meaning they're no longer obtainable. If you manage to cop a top-tier contraband skin before it becomes contraband, you can make an insanely profitable trade.

Level of Wear 

The water and tear on skins will also be a fundamental metric when you're looking to purchase or sell skins. The more worn a skin is, the less flashy and new it looks. The chart is as follows for the quality standard of skins in CS:GO:

• Factory New
• Minimal Wear
• Field-Tested
• Well-Worn
• Battle-Scarred

Now, it's important to remember that this is merely one of the many metrics that go into determining the overall prices of a CS:GO skin. You might be surprised to find out that the most expensive skin ever sold in CS:GO isn't a factory-new skin - it's a Minimal Wear AK-47 Case Hardened skin. It had some exciting stickers on it, which only added to its value. 

Sticker Value 

Now, stickers can make or break the skin. Stickers in CS:GO are consumables, meaning they can be applied once before they're gone from your inventory. If you choose the right skin and apply a suitable sticker to it, it could augment its value massively.

The aforementioned Minimal War AK-47 Case Hardened skin sold for a whopping $150,000, and it only managed to fetch such a high price because it was garnished with four "Titan | Katowice 2014" stickers. 

Souvenir Items 

Souvenir packages are exceedingly rare packages that only drop when there is a Valve-sponsored CS:GO tournament match going around, which means that they're insanely expensive and rare. There are many esports involving CS:GO, but souvenirs only drop when Valve themselves are concerned. 

To get one of these items, you'll have to link your twitch account to your Steam account or watch GOTV. 

These items are readily available on csgo trading sites, but they always fetch a beautiful penny, even for the most popular and common souvenir items. 

StatTrak Items 

StatTrak weapons are extraordinary and unique, as they can only be obtained by opening Weapon Cases. You can apply these items to all of your weapons, including your melee weapon, making them that much more sought after. 

Now, depending on the StatTrak in question, it can range from expensive to insanely expensive. 

Special Features

Special features and special skins are the most exclusive out of the lot. They usually appear for an insanely short amount of time when a third party gets involved. For example, when NZXT got involved, they created a special edition H440 case, which was practically a work of art.

These skins are very rare even on third-party trading websites and markets, meaning that these are usually the most expensive out of the lot.

In Conclusion 

CS:GO is fun, but it's also interesting when it comes to skins, stickers, and items. It's not only an excellent game for gamers looking to shoot their way through the playfield, but it's also great for collectors, and it's fantastic for money-making if you're willing to put in the time and effort.