First CS2 VAC ban wave trashes thousands in skins

William Davis Published 02/10/2023

New cheaters were inevitable with the release of CS2, but Valve’s first ban wave has been a doozy.

The switch to Source 2 was bad news for serial CSGO cheaters. Engine swaps all but invalidate old cheating programs, and that meant a much better experience for the game’s launch. However, between the lengthy beta test and lucrative cheating industry, wallhacks and auto-aim were bound to rear their ugly heads.

However, in a first for CS2, Valve has dropped the ban hammer on hundreds of accounts in an effort to keep matchmaking clean. Here are details on the ban wave and a look at some of the juiciest accounts left out to dry.

The ban wave was first noticed by Counter-Strike fans on social media. Unconfirmed reports claim that Valve cracked one of the most popular cheating applications for CS2, which likely powered hundreds if not thousands of cheaters. ConVars ban tracker lists the total number of VAC banned accounts at over 1,200 since the launch of the game, and game bans more than double the total. 

However, when it comes to laughing at banned accounts, Counter-Strike fans always prioritize quality over quantity. Check out some of those cheaters’ insane skins that are now completely worthless.

First CS2 ban wave knocks out high-tier skins 

It’s impossible to tell exactly how much value in skins was blasted by the ban wave, but a few high-end accounts show that thousands of dollars worth of skins are now worth literally nothing. One such account was confirmed to contain a Flio Knife | Tiger Tooth, Butterfly Knife | Lore, and Shadow Daggers | Marble Fade, all factory new with the last one being StatTrak™. Another Chinese banned account seems to show a pair of Sport Gloves | Nocts and an AK-47 | Jaguar down the drain.

Cheating with high-tier skins is probably one of the biggest sins possible in Counter-Strike. With this ban wave, all of the skins used by the cheaters have been effectively removed from the CS2 marketplace. They cannot be sold or traded to other players, leaving the owners to just use them in offline modes. Previous ban waves have wiped out over $2 million worth of skins in one fell swoop, providing extra incentive for players to keep their accounts clean.

Read Also

Counter-Strike

Team Spirit vs Team Falcons at BLAST Open Fall 2026: best predictions and picks Owen Harsono We’re in for a treat, as the BLAST Open Fall semi-final will feature a matchup between Team Spirit and Team Falcons, with the winner booking a spot in the grand final. It’s a battle between the world number one and number two, so this is a match you definitely don’t want to miss. Here are our BLAST Open Fall Team Spirit vs Team Falcons predictions. Tournament: BLAST Open Fall 2026 ...

Counter-Strike

Is CS2 Dying in 2026? Owen Harsono Counter-Strike is one of the longest-standing esports franchises, having built a loyal fanbase over the course of two decades. However, if you’ve browsed through social media platforms across the past few months, you might have seen people claiming that the game is dying or on a steady decline. Below we’ll take a look at why people are talking about this and answer the question of “is CS2 really dying?” One ...

News

The Esports Nations Cup Has Been Postponed to November 2027 Ben Boland The 2026 Esports Nations Cup has been suspended until 2027. The Esports Foundation announced the delay on August 18, citing ongoing regional uncertainty. The inaugural competition was scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, comprising over 100 national teams and featuring 16 different games, including League of Legends. According to the Esports Foundation, this decision follows ongoing developments in the region and consultation with key stakeholders. Moving the event ...

Esports Betting

MLBB is the most-watched game from the EWC, and it’s hard to see another game beating it Michael Hassall The Esports World Cup 2026 has officially passed its midway point and viewership figures for the tournament have surpassed many expectations so far, as per Esports Charts. The viewership tracking site revealed new statistics for the event on Aug. 6, showcasing just how many games had set new records in viewership, including one name leading the way in views: Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. MLBB leads the viewership charts with the ...

Counter-Strike

CS2 at the EWC 2026 Preview: Odds, Details, Predictions and More Owen Harsono Top-tier Counter-Strike action returns at the Esports World Cup, as 32 of the best teams will take the trip to Paris to compete for millions of dollars. If you’re looking to watch the event, here’s everything you need to know and which teams to keep an eye on. The Esports World Cup is one of the largest CS2 events if we’re looking at prize pools, as $2,000,000 will be distributed ...

News

Opinion: Is Esports Tracing the Same Evolutionary Path As Traditional Sports? Cecilia Ciocchetti What happens when an industry compresses centuries of sporting evolution into less than a decade or two? Communities become global audiences overnight, rivalries spread through social media within minutes, and tournaments turn into entertainment products faster than ever before. And so what took traditional sports centuries to build has taken esports a fraction of that. From local communities to sold out arenas, and from informal matches to Olympic-style events, the ...

Counter-Strike

BLAST Bounty 2026 semi-final predictions: who’s making it to the grand final? Owen Harsono The top four teams we’re seeing at the BLAST Bounty 2026 semi-finals are far from what anyone would expect before the tournament began, but here we are. We’re only three matches from crowning a winner, so let’s take a look at the best BLAST Bounty semi-final predictions for both upcoming matchups. Starting the semi-finals off is a banger of a series between FaZe Clan and Team Spirit, which is one ...