The essential guide to CS:GO cases Posted Aug 29, 2024

Counter Strike Global Offensive has a vast in-game economy. One of its most prized possessions are cases that can be opened to reveal rare items. In this article, we discuss everything a new player needs to know about cases.

When playing CS:GO, cases are a great way to get new gear and rare items. They can be opened, and different ones will provide varied rewards. Players can also trade cases in the game's aftermarket economy. In this article, we discuss everything you need to know about cases.

How to get cases in CS:GO

There are two ways to get cases in CS:GO. They can be acquired through drops or you can buy them from other players.

To get them through drops, you just need to play CS:GO. When you rank up for the first time, you will start to receive them. A case can be one of your rewards, though the one you will be assigned is random. The chances are it will come from the active pool drop, which changes depending on several factors.

Post-game drops also occur when you finish playing a match. This does not happen every game, and what does turn up is also random. However, you could get lucky and be gifted with a rare case.

Operation passes are another way to get cases. They provide access to exclusive missions, but also exclusive rewards. When you complete the designated tasks, rare rewards are often the outcome, including cases. Thus, if you want to get the most sought-after items this is the best way to go about it.

The next option is to buy cases, which you can acquire on the Steam market or through several third-party websites. You just need to sign up, and then choose the case you want. Once purchased it will go to your inventory. Of course, this works the other way. You can keep cases unopened and sell them for profit. You may even find some of them go up in value and can provide a good return on investment.

The difference in case types

Not all cases are the same. They can be very different. Just like skins, each has a different level of rarity, as do the items that could be contained within them.

As an example, the Prisma case is one item sought after in CS:GO. Released as part of the March update in 2019, it can only be opened using a Prisma key. Within it are 17 community-designed weapon finishes. The Talon, Stiletto, Ursus, and Navaja knives were also available in chroma through this case. Each is worth about $0.63 and requires a key to open it which costs $2.49.

In comparison, the CS:GO Weapon Case 2 was introduced 10 years ago as part of “The Arms Deal 2” update. It contains a possible 77 skins and is a fairly common item in CS:GO. Yet the contents, varied and useful, make it extremely popular and it will sell for around $16.22 plus the $2.49 required for a key.

Opening cases in CS:GO

Once you have bought or acquired a case, you can’t just open it. To do that, you will need a key. Keys are specific to each case and there is no universal key, so you may wish to add that to the cost when you consider buying a case. Keys work differently from cases, as you can not buy and trade them on the second-hand market. They are bought directly from the vendors who sell the cases. All keys also cost a flat price of $2.49, which will alter depending on your local currency.

Types of CS:GO Cases

There are now around 40 case types available in CS:GO. As well as naming them and classifying them by contents, cases can also be classified by how they are acquired and their current status.

Prime cases are only available to those with prime status on their accounts. They have the most up-to-date items included in them. New prime cases are quite rare but usually arrive when new operations start.

Rare cases are the most sought-after in CS:GO. When you get a drop, only 1% of the cases will be in the rare category. All cases become rare once they are moved out of rotation and after a few years can accumulate quite a bit of value.

There are also discontinued cases. These ones do not drop in the game any longer and can only be bought on the second-hand market. These are the ones that become collectors items.

Cases are one of the most important items in CS:GO. They let you have access to new and rare items. The biggest choice is deciding if you want to open the case or save it and sell it at a later date. Some can accumulate value, but it may take years for them to do so. The decision is yours and by playing more, you will get more cases. It is just another way for you to enjoy this fantastic game.