Image via Valve

Valve to host $1 million CS:GO ‘Dreams & Nightmares’ skin art contest

Dream big, get paid for it.

Valve is turning to the community for the next wave of CS:GO weapon skins with a specific theme in mind and a lot of money on the line.

Recommended Videos

The CS:GO developer announced the Dreams & Nightmares skin contest today. It’ll begin on July 22 and run until Oct. 21 with $1 million up for grabs to be split among 10 winners.

Valve is asking the creative members of the CS:GO community to create their own weapon finishes and submit them to the CS:GO workbench on the Steam platform. Anyone is encouraged to create their own skin and Valve has posted guides and information regarding how they’re created and selected on its website. Skins with different rarity and wear alterations have a better chance of being selected by the CS:GO development team and they must be “original dream or nightmare-themed weapon finishes.”

Creators are encouraged to either adapt existing styles or finishes or create new artwork that’s all their own. There’s no limit to the number of submissions you can enter,and creators can collaborate with each other on weapon skins provided everyone is properly credited. The FAQ says it’s possible for an artist with multiple submissions to win more than one of the 10 prizes. Valve doesn’t own any skins that are created or submitted.

The CS:GO workshop is already filled with different weapon skins designed by members of the community. Over the years, several of those skins have been selected to be added to a case. There will be a total of 15 skins added to the Dreams & Nightmares case with four rarities:

  • Covert: AK-47 and MP-9
  • Classified: MP-7, Dual Berettas, and FAMAS
  • Restricted: XM-1014, PP-Bizon, G3SG1, M4A1-S, and USP-S
  • Military Spec: Five-SeveN, SCAR-20, MAG-7, P2000, Sawed-Off, MAC-10, and MP5-SD

Anyone from around the world can submit an entry beginning July 22.


Dot Esports is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more
related content
Read Article ESL Pro League Season 19: Schedule, results, streams, and more
The ESL Pro League Season 19 on an abstract black and green background.
Read Article CS2 players dare to hope again as growing banwave promises better matchmaking experience
Outside platform of the Nuke map in Counter-Strike 2.
Read Article Counter-Strike 2 map pool: All current and active duty maps in CS2
A cobblestone street and a yellow building, marking the location of the B bombsite on Inferno in CS2.
Related Content
Read Article ESL Pro League Season 19: Schedule, results, streams, and more
The ESL Pro League Season 19 on an abstract black and green background.
Read Article CS2 players dare to hope again as growing banwave promises better matchmaking experience
Outside platform of the Nuke map in Counter-Strike 2.
Read Article Counter-Strike 2 map pool: All current and active duty maps in CS2
A cobblestone street and a yellow building, marking the location of the B bombsite on Inferno in CS2.
Author
Scott Robertson
VALORANT lead staff writer, also covering CS:GO, FPS games, other titles, and the wider esports industry. Watching and writing esports since 2014. Previously wrote for Dexerto, Upcomer, Splyce, and somehow MySpace. Jack of all games, master of none.