The Most Popular CS2 Skins (September 2023)

Counter-Strike 2 has finally been released (see Counter-Strike 2 Released) which means that every single Counter-Strike player is now playing on the new engine. As a consequence of that, every single CS player is now experiencing skins in the Source 2 engine.

As you may or may not know, skins can look very different in CS2. Some skins have received tremendous updates, while others arguably look a little worse when compared to how they looked in CS:GO. Will this drastic change have an impact on the most popular CS2 skins? Find out in our first-ever CS2 skins hit list!

The List

For this list, we have combined sales and trade data from CS.Money. This is one of the most popular skin trading websites in the world, so we feel like this accurately represents the current vibe among CS2 skins enthusiasts.

Do note that we only list skins that are worth $10 or more. In the past, we listed all skins, but these lists weren’t as interesting as they were mainly made up out of very cheap case filler skins that people wanted to get rid of. The $10 price point is, according to us, a reasonable price point to use when it comes to figuring out which skins people are actually buying out of interest or for investment purposes.

1. AK-47 Redline (Field Tested)

Despite the fact that many people have complained about black skins not being dark enough in CS2 when compared to CS:GO, the quintessential sleek and black AK maintains its spot as the top dog in our list.

The AK Redline is a true classic which has been around since basically forever, so if you want to get your hands on an iconic Counter-Strike skin at a very friendly price, the Redline is one you can definitely consider.

It’s a great weapon to craft on as well (though the best craftable AK is the Slate if you ask us) and with some stickers looking absolutely fantastic in CS2, it can be a good idea to browse some red holo stickers so that you can really make this weapon your own.

2. AK-47 Ice Coaled (Field Tested)

The Ice Coaled is a relatively new skin but it has already made its mark on the Counter-Strike scene. It’s a gun that you see in matchmaking quite often, and even the professionals seem to like the Ice Coaled, as you can see in a recent BLAST / CS.Money video.

This sleek, futuristic-looking gun looks great on its own but you can really level it up by applying some holographic stickers to it, most of which look fantastic in the Source 2 engine.

The Ice Coaled has been featured in this list for a long time now, so it’s without a doubt an iconic CS2 skin in the making.

3. AK-47 Asiimov (Field Tested)

The Asiimov needs no introduction, and despite the fact that the AK Asiimov is a pretty polarizing skin (which doesn’t seem to be the case with the M4A4 and AWP Asiimov) it’s always doing good when it comes to sales.

Despite the fact that the Asiimov arguably looks a little worse in CS2 than it did in CS:GO (due to the fact that blacks sometimes don’t get displayed as accurately, making them grey-ish) it’s still a very popular skin.

If you are into retro-futuristic vibes, the AK Asiimov is a fantastic choice, and you can pair it with an M4A4 Asiimov on the CT side for a pleasing combo.

4. AK-47 Legion of Anubis (Field Tested)

We’ve said it many times before, but if this skin would be part of a collection and not a case (and thus be a lot rarer as a consequence) it would cost thousands of dollars. The artwork on the Legion of Anubis looks stunning and is extremely detailed, and the golden top portion gives it a classy finish.

This skin is based on ancient Egyptian mythology, and its intricate details look even better in CS2’s Source 2 engine, so this is a real winner that you can pick up for extremely cheap.

It’s not the flashiest AK-47 skin, nor is it the most prestigious (the prestige of a skin is mostly based on its rarity and -as a consequence- price) but if you don’t care about all that stuff then it’s a top tier AK.

5. AWP Neo-Noir (Field Tested)

Neo-Noir skins arguably got a downgrade in CS2 because of the fact that they rely so heavily on darker colors which tend to look a bit washed out in CS2 right now. This can and probably will change, since Valve are constantly tweaking the look of skins, but the fact that the AWP Neo-Noir isn’t the best it can be at this point in time doesn’t stop if from being a very popular pick.

The Neo-Noir skin line is amazing and one of our personal favorites. With the AWP being one of the biggest guns in the game there’s plenty of skin real estate to tell a story as well, and you’ll definitely appreciate the impressively detailed artwork that’s on the AWP Neo-Noir.

The mix of white, black and neon colors gives this skin an almost nostalgic vibe, but it also quite simply looks extremely sleek. With an AWP Neo-Noir, you can’t really go wrong, as it’ll always be a very popular skin.

6. AK-47 Neon Revolution (Field Tested)

The AK Neon Revolution is a rather affordable entry into the world of extremely bright and colorful AK skins, and its messy, homemade aesthetic seems to have a ton of fans.

If you like these bright and bubbly, yet dangerous Suicide Squad type of vibes then the Neon Revolution is a great skin to consider. It’s a gun that would look right at home in a graphic novel or a movie about a bunch of ragtag criminals meant to save the world.

7. M4A1-S Decimator (Field Tested)

The M4A1-S Decimator was already a popular gun in CS:GO, and the fact that it got a pretty substantial buff to its looks in CS2 will probably only cement that position.

In CS2, metallic-finished skins look a lot shinier, and the Decimator very much profits from these changes. Whereas it looked quite matte in CS:GO, it’s now quite the opposite and very much an attention-grabbing skin.

This synthpop-styled skin enters the top 10 again after the release of CS2, and we don’t think that that is a coincidence.

8. AK-47 Frontside Misty (Field Tested)

If you’re building a light blue or white-theme loadout, your options when it comes to AKs are pretty limited. There is of course the absolutely iconic AK Vulcan, but you’ll have to dig deep into your wallet before you’re going to get your hands on one of those, so if you want to have the same type of vibe (when it comes to the colors, at least) on a budget, the Frontside Misty is a good option.

It’s a slightly overlooked skin in the pro scene, but the fact that it’s affordable and rather unique when it comes to its overall design makes it a consistent and popular choice with CS2 players.

9. Desert Eagle Printstream (Field Tested)

Printstream skins still aren’t fixed in CS2: the pearlescent effect has all but disappeared from every Printstream skin, and that might explain the (slight) drop in popularity with these skins. Fear not, however: the skin designer is currently hard at work restoring the Printstream skins to their old glory.

It’s an exciting time for Printstream owners/fans; these skins were already massively popular in CS:GO, but who knows how beautiful they’ll look once the full power of the Source 2 engine is unleashed upon them? Of course all of this is just speculation (it’s very possible that the CS2 Printstreams might end up looking underwhelming) but if you’re a Printstream enjoyer we wouldn’t recommend cashing out just yet.

10. AWP Chromatic Aberration (Field Tested)

The AWP Chromatic Aberration is an affordable AWP skin with a flashy design (that reminds us a little bit of the Printstream skins in some areas with the writing and all of that) that gets used in the pro scene here and there, so it’s logical that it shows up on this list.

It didn’t receive a particularly massive buff with the release of CS2, but it’s a cool, modern AWP skin that looks quite unique and has some neon colors going on, so it’s a great pickup if you’re on a budget.

Conclusion – Most Popular CS:GO Skins in September

CS2 has been fully released, meaning that every skin has been ported to Source 2. This has quite drastically changed the look of some skins (for better or for worse) so if you’re interested in buying skins it can pay off to check them out ingame prior to purchasing them.

As far as the impact on skin popularity goes; it’s quite limited so far. The M4A1-S Decimator has made its way to the top 10 (which we suspect might have something to do with the quite substantial buff it has received when it comes to its overall looks) but other skins are the usual suspects that we know from CS:GO.

Check back in November to see if there are any major changes!

Lars

Reviews, Community, FPS

Former semi-pro gamer turned writer, product reviewer, and community manager.