Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’s skin catalog just got a whole lot bigger.
As part of Operation Riptide, Valve has introduced new skin lines for Train, Mirage, Dust 2, and Vertigo. Each map in CSGO has a signature skin line associated with it. Valve has decided to introduce a new batch for the four maps, adding a total of 74 new map skins to the game.
Players do not earn these skins in the same way as other map skins. Instead of post-game drops, players must pay stars earned by completing missions throughout Operation Riptide. Instead of the usual case opening, players can pick exactly what rarity they will receive. The exact skin within that rarity, along with its finish quality, is still completely random. The available skin collection changes on a timed basis, so check back often to find your desired CSGO map skins collection.
Starting things off is the Operation Riptide set. While players will have an unusually high degree of agency regarding which map skins they receive, the Operation Riptide Case works the same as any other. Get the case for two stars, buy a key with cash, and hope for the best.
Thankfully, the lineup of skins is strong enough to justify the cost. The top prize of the set is the Desert Eagle | Ocean Drive which boasts an in-your-face neon pattern. Behind it is the AK-47 | Leet Museo with Picasso-style characters on a white background. Past those two are a number of Asia-inspired skins with the MP9 | Mount Fuji being the most eye-catching.
The 2021 Train skin collection retains its signature gritty look with an extra dash of Soviet Union propaganda. These skins hint at the Cold War era that Train is meant to represent. There are lots of vibrant gold skins with black contrast and some surprising breakaways in the USP-S | Whiteout and R8 Revolver | Blaze. The Gamma Doppler appears to have several possible patterns. CSGO fans will be quick to look for special variants and color patterns for the newest Glock cosmetic.
The new Mirage map skins are an eclectic mix. There are some certain fan favorites like the Glock-18 | Pink DDPAT and Desert Eagle | Fennec Fox in here, but the AWP | Desert Hydra steals the show. The golden graffiti-style hydra stands out thanks to well-placed teal accents. Will the new Mirage skin finally unseat the Dragon Lore as the most coveted map AWP skin?
As CSGO’s most iconic map, it only makes sense that the Dust_2 2021 skin collection features callbacks to many beloved weapon finishes. The purple tier alone finally introduces the Fade pattern to the UMP-45 and gives us a new Case-Hardened skin for the MAC-10. The sole covert Dust 2 2021 skin AK-47 | Gold Arabesque is one of the biggest flex skins in CSGO history.
CSGO’s second-newest map finally gets a skin line of its own. Vertigo’s new 2021 skins are dripping with personality and a specific sense of humor. Several new Vertigo skins including the P-90 | Schematic and the M4A1-S | Imminent Danger poke fun at the maps’ architectural theme. The Nova | Interlock is even more clever. The Escher-esque pattern references the complex and vertical nature of the map. CSGO players will likely welcome the AK-47 | Green Laminate. The colored furniture series is a favorite among players who prefer some subtlety to their swag.
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