Valve made a duped CSGO skin for the first time since 2016
Valve has recreated a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive skin for the first time in eight years.
In the wake of a massive CSGO hack involving an
estimated $2 million worth of skins, Valve has duplicated a very special skin. Duped CSGO skins are largely a thing of the past, but the company behind CSGO used the technique to make a very special Souvenir AWP | Dragon Lore. Here’s why the dupe took place and what it means for the average player.
For those unfamiliar with duping, the term refers to existing CSGO skins that have been duplicated or copied in some way. There are multiple ways a skin can be duped, but the most common is for Valve to manually create a copy and distribute it to the affected player. CSGO players used to get duped skins as part of scam compensation, but Valve got rid of the policy in 2016 once skins started becoming extremely valuable.
Valve duped a Souvenir Dragon Lore in CSGO
The catalyst for this event is one of the biggest hacks in CSGO history. Famed collector HFB had his incredibly expensive account ransacked, which possessed multiple Souvenir AWP | Dragon Lores and even the
famous starless Karambit. The skins were sold through various websites, but Valve quickly stepped in to rectify the situation. All of the skins were returned to HFB’s inventory with the purchasers getting no compensation. Some of the trade sites used to sell the skins have refunded a few of the buyers.
However, one skin could not be recovered in the normal way. The cosmetic in question also happened to be one of the most expensive in the entire collection. HFB’s Souvenir AWP | Dragon Lore sold for the equivalent of $134,000 on Buff163, a popular Chinese skin trading site. The skin in question has all of its stickers scraped off except for the Katowice 2015 sticker. With a factory new float of 0.0677, the skin is valued at a good deal above its selling price.
While HFB’s other skins were returned to their owner, it appears that the trader who purchased the Souvenir Dragon Lore somehow avoided Valve’s detection. One theory claims he hid it inside of an inventory storage container while another says he transferred it to multiple accounts. Either way, it is now confirmed that there are two copies of the skin. HFB owns one, the unknown trader owns the other.
Duped skins are a hot topic in CSGO, and the fact that Valve is making more is big news for traders. As for average players with some decent play skins, don’t expect Valve to protect you from scammers.
The collection was worth $2 million and was not a scam, but a genuine hack. Valve will probably maintain its current policy of no duped skins, but big CSGO traders should feel a little more secure about their investment.
Read Also
Counter-Strike
IEM Cologne Major 2026 CS2 Stage 3 Pick’Em Predictions
Owen Harsono
It’s that time of the year again, as the next Counter-Strike 2 Major is right around the corner. The IEM Cologne 2026 Major is set to start on June 2, meaning you still have some time to lock in your Pick’Em predictions. The Pick’Em Challenge is one of the most exciting parts of the CS2 Majors, as it allows you to test your knowledge and predict which teams make it ...
Counter-Strike
Team Spirit concede just 10 rounds in Stage 2 of the IEM Cologne Major
Owen Harsono
It was pretty weird seeing Team Spirit having to start the IEM Cologne Major from Stage 2, but they quickly proved why that was a mistake. With donk shooting on all fronts, the Eastern Europeans speed ran the competition to book their spot in Stage 3. With how they’ve been playing, it’s hard not to wonder whether they can actually win the entire thing. These boys can sometimes be known ...
Counter-Strike
BIG pull off 0-12 comeback to stay alive – IEM Cologne Major Stage 1 recap
Owen Harsono
We’ve just witnessed arguably the worst choke in Counter-Strike Major history, and we’re only on the first stage of the IEM Cologne Major. If you didn’t tune into the Stage 1 matches, here’s what you need to know heading into Stage 2. Many fans tend to underestimate Stage 1 teams for fair reasons, but some survivors in this tournament look extremely promising. Two Eastern European teams, BetBoom Team and B8, ...
Counter-Strike
Who will win the IEM Cologne Major 2026?
Owen Harsono
If you’re looking to play it safe and back one team at the Counter-Strike 2 IEM Cologne 2026 Major, traders prediction markets platforms have a clear frontrunner – it’s Team Vitality. But if it’s not meant to be, there are a few other candidates that could lift the trophy. Here’s what traders on Polymarket and Kalshi think. If you haven’t been watching CS2 this year and are only jumping on ...
Counter-Strike
The 10 best CS2 players who have never won a Major
Owen Harsono
In Counter-Strike, winning a Major immediately puts you into legend status. It’s an achievement that proves you won the game’s biggest trophy. However, there have been some really good players that could never get their hands on the biggest trophy that Counter-Strike esports has to offer. Here is WIN.gg's list of best CS2 players who have never won a Major. ScreaM is one of Counter-Strike's most famous players for one ...
Counter-Strike
IEM Cologne Major 2026: All the teams, favorites, and outright betting odds
Owen Harsono
Mark your calendars, as the IEM Cologne Major kicks off on June 2, 2026. We’re going to see the best teams in the world compete, but which ones are actually favored to take the title? This will be the first time in 10 years that IEM Cologne will return as a Counter-Strike Major, so the stakes this year are much higher than they’ve been in a decade. In this guide, ...
Esports Betting
All IEM Cologne winners and rosters in Counter-Strike history
Owen Harsono
IEM Cologne is one of Counter-Strike’s biggest events, happening every single year. Some seasons, the event is labeled as one of Valve’s two Counter-Strike Majors of the year, but if not, still stands as one of the big events every player chases to win. With the IEM Cologne 2026 Major right around the corner, let’s take a trip down memory lane and check out every single winner of the tournament, ...
