CS2 is one of the most popular competitive games in the world, and it has a very attractive aspect in the form of the ability to customize weapons with skins. But what should a beginner do who is just starting to play and is not ready to invest money to buy skins, knives, or gloves? Fortunately, CS2 has everything. A beginner can assemble a basic inventory without investment, and right now you will learn how to do it.
Game Drops — the First And Stable Source of Skins
After each completed match in competitive, normal, matchmaking, or partner mode, the player can receive a drop. This can be a case, graffiti, or weapon skin. However, the player will have to face restrictions. A drop is carried out only once a week and is subject to reaching a certain XP. The variety of skins and cases is also limited.
However, it is essential to recognize that even the most common CS2 (CS:GO) free cases, such as the Recoil Case or Revolution Case, have a market value. If you do not want to open them, you can sell them sooner or later and spend the money on skins that interest you.
Getting Skins as Bonuses
Many third-party platforms dedicated to CS2 offer their users bonuses in the form of cases or skins. In some cases, they are given out to new users.
That is, in order to get a skin or case, it is enough to register on the platform. However, you should not count on valuable skins here.
Participation in Giveaways
Third-party platforms often hold giveaways. They can be thematic, held short-term, or long-term. To track them, you should subscribe to the platform’s newsletter and its social networks. Participation may not require anything, and sometimes the participant needs to perform minimal actions. For example, like or repost. This is a great way to replenish your inventory with a skin, sometimes even a valuable one. However, there is a lot of competition here. Giveaways can also be held by streamers and bloggers. It is recommended to subscribe to them or thematic Discord or Telegram channels.
Trading and Trade-Up Contracts
As you accumulate skins, you can take part in trading, exchanging skins for more interesting ones, as well as in trade-up contracts. For the latter, the player usually needs up to 10 skins of the same class. To successfully complete the contract and get a skin of the highest quality, it is important to follow the rules, which in particular also concern the float value and StatTrak function.
This method is associated with risk but can be an interesting way to pump up your inventory.
Game Events And Operations
Valve periodically launches operations — paid campaigns with tasks and rewards. However, even in them, there are often free opportunities for players:
- Obtaining achievements and medals;
- Completing missions — sometimes cases or souvenirs are given;
- Participation in the rating.
Although this requires an investment of time, it can pay off even for a free player.
The Importance of Understanding Skin Characteristics When Building the Inventory
When getting free skins and forming your CS2 inventory, it is important to understand the characteristics of skins at the initial stages, in particular, to evaluate their float value, possible patterns, and the presence of StatTrak. All of these characteristics directly affect the market value of skins, their attractiveness to other players, and your potential income if you want to sell your skins. The first thing you should pay attention to is the rarity of the skin.
There are five main categories of rarity available in the game — from Consumer Grade to Covert. The rarity determines the visual appeal of the skin design, its limitations, and the chance of dropping when opening a case. The second thing you should pay attention to is the wear of the skin, and its float value, which can vary from 0.00 to 1.00. This characteristic determines how new or worn the skin looks. The most valuable version is Factory New, which corresponds to the minimum float value.
Understanding the characteristics that shape the value of a skin will help you avoid unprofitable deals.
Conclusion
Creating a CS2 inventory without investments is not only real but also exciting. Although the path of a free player is not the fastest, it teaches patience, strategy, and attentiveness. Thanks to the drop system, marketplace, communities, and trade, every newbie can start from scratch and eventually collect a stylish and unique collection of skins. The main thing is to understand the value of items and understand rarity, wear and tear, and market trends. This approach not only allows you to assemble the inventory of your dreams but also makes the process itself more conscious and interesting.