Screenshot taken of the Recoil Case in CS2. It's yellow and has a dragon on it.

Screenshot by Dot Esports

12 best CS2 cases to open in 2023

Don't forget to cross your fingers.

Gökhan Çakır

Published: Mar 29, 2024 07:44 pm

There are a lot of Counter-Strike 2 cases you can open, but some are better than others, and the best cases to open in CS2 contain some of the most fashionable skins in the game.

The best CS2 cases to open in 2024

1) Dreams & Nightmares Case

The Dreams and Nightmares case in CS2 — Dreams and Nightmares Case – Screenshot by Dot Esports

The Dreams & Nightmares Case in CS2 contains 17 community designs as skins and was released on Jan. 20, 2022. The rarest skins inside the case feature bright designs, and fans will also have a chance to unlock an even rarer item that will come in the form of a Gamma knife.

All items in the Dreams & Nightmares Case. Screenshots by Dot Esports

2) Recoil Case

The Recoil Case in CS2. — Recoil Case – Screenshot by Dot Esports

The Recoil Case was released on July 1, 2022. This loot box contains 17 community-designed weapon finishes, including an AWP, a USP-S, and an AK-47, in addition to several pairs of gloves—if you’re lucky enough to get one of them.

The USP-S Printstream is one of the cleanest-looking pistol skins on the market. If you’re lucky and land a Factory New Printstream, you’ll increase the value of your inventory by hundreds of dollars.

All skins in the Recoil Case. Screenshots by Dot Esports

3) Operation Riptide Case

The Operation Riptide Case in CS2. — Operation Riptide Case – Screenshot by Dot Esports

Valve added the Operation Riptide Case to CS2 in September 2021. The cases contain a selection of skins from the Operation Riptide Collection, featuring bright colors and superb designs. There are a total of 17 skins inside this case, and all of them were designed by community members.

While I might use the M4A1-S over the M4A4, the CT assault rifle meta changes on a dime. This is where gathering M4A4 skins is still important, so I continue to open all Operation Riptide cases that come my way.

All skins in the Riptide Case. Screenshots by Dot Esports

4) Chroma 3 Case

The Chroma 3 Case in CS2 was added to the franchise in April 2016. The case consists of community weapons and can be opened with a Chroma 3 Case Key. The skins featured in the collection feature Neon colors making them look futuristic.

While the Legend of Anubis skin is for an incredibly underused gun, the skin had some legs on the market. As far as red skins go, the price pales in comparison to AK or AWP cosmetics, but it’s still relatively expensive.

All skins in the Chroma 3 Case. Screenshots by Dot Esports

5) Operation Broken Fang Case

The Operation Broken Fang Case in CS2. — Operation Broken Fang case – Screenshot by Dot Esports

Each operation introduces unique skins that rival the previous releases. Operation Broken Fang was no different, and its case added a bunch of colorful skins to CS2. In addition to multiple valuable drops with excellent looks, it’s the glove drop that separates this case from the rest.

As one of the best CS2 cases, it features both a high-level USP-S and Glock-18 skin, which are rare finds to begin with. The Broken Fang case also hosts an incredibly clean M4A1-S skin. I personally can’t go past a Printstream skin, and if you’re a fan of the USP-S Printstream, you’ll be able to add this to your collection if you seek out the Broken Fang case.

All skins in the Broken Fang Case. Screenshots by Dot Esports

6) Revolution Case

Revolution Case in CS2 — Revolution Case – Image via Valve

The Revolution Case is a 2023 addition to CS2‘s skin library. It’s one of the best CS2 cases to open since it’s one of the rare ones that feature skins for all the most popular weapons in the game: The AK-47, M4A4, M4A1-S, and AWP.

While almost all cases in CS2 feature at least one skin for the big four, it’s a unique occurrence to have a case that has a skin for all four. The Revolution Case also tops it off with a high return on investment rate since most of the skins inside it will be worth more than its unlocking costs, making it a solid choice for players who’d like to get their money’s worth from a case.

MAG 7 Insomnia in CS:GO — All skins in the Revolution Case. Screenshots by Dot Esports

MP9 Featherweight in CS:GO — All skins in the Revolution Case. Screenshots by Dot Esports

7) Gamma Case

The Gamma Case in C2 — Gamma Case – Screenshot by Dot Esports

The Gamma Case features detailed skins that laid the foundation of some of the most incredible skins to hit the Steam market. Some of the textures included in the case resemble professional street art and give you a gangsta look in the game.

The Mecha Industries sits alongside the Printstream as the cleanest skins in CS2. You’ll be able to add the Wasteland Rebel skin to match your AK47 Wasteland Rebel, making your T kit the sharpest on the server.

All skins in the Gamma Case. Screenshots by Dot Esports

8) Prisma Case

The Prisma Case in CS2 — Prisma case – Screenshot by Dot Esports

The Prisma Case includes some of the most colorful skins in CS2. M4A1 The Emperor is also one of the most popular skins for the gun. It may look even cooler if you have a blue knife to go with it.

You’ve more than likely seen the Light Rail Deagle skin in your matches, and for good reason. It’s simple and doesn’t fill your screen with vibrant colors to distract you as you tap heads all over the server.

All skins in the Prisma Case. Screenshots by Dot Esports

9) Clutch Case

The Clutch Case in CS2. — Clutch case – Screenshot by Dot Esports

The Clutch Case includes some of the best skins with a darker color range. The pink USP-S skin is the only exception to its theme. It’s also one of the few cases that offer a pair of gloves instead of a knife skin.

The Neo-Noir sits atop the skins in the Clutch Case for good reason It’s an incredibly well-designed skin, providing several different patterns without being overwhelming on the eyes. I also tried to get the worst possible R8 Revolver Grip in CS2. I would advise against this, as you’ll never use the R8—unless you’re trolling.

All skins in the Clutch Case. Screenshots by Dot Esports

10) Prisma 2 Case

The Prima 2 Case in CS2. — Prisma 2 Case – Screenshot by Dot Esports

The Prisma 2 Case is similar to its predecessor and improves upon the colorful tones that the CS2 community loved. The case features futuristic-looking skins with bright colors and great art.

The M4A1-S and the Glock-18 bring the Prisma 2 Case to the top of best CS2 cases lists around the globe. The exciting and creative designs make these an essential addition to your collection.

All skins in the Prisma 2 Case. Screenshots by Dot Esports

11) CS20 Case

The CS20 case in CS2. — CS20 case – Screenshot by Dot Esports

The CS20 Case was introduced to celebrate Counter-Strike’s 20th anniversary. It features some of the most stylish skins to date, like the Wildfire AWP and the Commemoration FAMAS. Aside from those, the overall color scheme of the case is on the darker side and they’re all great mementos to remember CS’ 20th birthday.

All skins in the CS20 Case. Screenshots by Dot Esports

12) Danger Zone Case

The Danger Zone case in CS2. — The Danger Zone case – Screenshot by Dot Esports

Danger Zone was one of the most impactful patches in CS2 history. Alongside introducing a unique Battle Royale mode, it also came with awesome skins. The AK-47 joined the Asiimov family while the AWP got another futuristic skin.

The Asiimov might be one of the best AK skins alongside the Vulcan. You’ll be able to add the Asiimov to your collection for a lovely pairing with the AWP Asiimov. The Deagle in the Danger Zone case is one of my favorite pistol skins, and if I could have all of them, I would.

All skins in the Danger Zone Case. Screenshots by Dot Esports

There are loads of different skins to try acquiring in Counter-Strike 2, but now that you know cases are the best CS2 cases you’ll have a better chance at adding the best skins to your collection.

How to get cases in CS2

If you’re looking to go on a case-opening rampage in CS2, you should have everything ready in your inventory to avoid any downtime. There are two ways to get cases in CS2, and I recommend combining the two in the long run to reduce costs.

1) Play CS2 to get free case drops

Case drops reward CS2 players for their efforts in the game. Whenever you rank up for the first time in a week, you’ll get a free case drop in CS2. In addition to this guaranteed chest, CS2 players will also have a chance to get a case drop after each match played.

The case drops in CS2 are random, and the cases you’ll get from these drops will be on a rotation that changes when Valve adds a new chest to the game.

2) Buy CS2 cases from Steam Community Market

Buying CS2 cases is the fastest way to get them. The cases have ranging prices that depend on their contents, and you’ll also need to purchase their respective keys to open them inside the game.

Before buying a ton of CS2 cases, I recommend checking their contents to ensure that you want at least a few skins inside them.

Deciding on which cases to open may be a struggle because Valve has been creating CS2 skins and cases since CS:GO. To save you time, we came up with a list of the best CS2 cases to open both in terms of value and popularity in 2024.

Which CS2 case should you open based on odds?

Every time I purchase a CS2 case, I cross my fingers and hope to get a valuable skin to make a profit. The odds of this happening won’t be the same for all cases. If you’re looking to increase your chances of profiting from your case-opening adventures, then you should prioritize opening the best CS2 cases with the highest return on investment rates.

The following calculations were made by Daniel Morris of esports.net.

Case name	Case cost	Key cost	Average monetary return of one case	Return on investment (ROI)
Operation Wildfire Case	$2	$2.49	$2.55	57 percent
CS:GO Weapon Case 2	$12	$2.49	$8.20	56.5 percent
Recoil Case	$0.80	$2.49	$1.65	50 percent
CS:GO Weapon Case 3	$9.50	$2.49	$6	50 percent
Shadow Case	$1.10	$2.49	$1.70	47 percent

How much money does Valve make from CS2 cases?

Valve reportedly raked in nearly a billion dollars from CS2 case openings in 2023. Though Valve never shares its official sales figures, cases make CS2 one of the most lucrative online games in the market, and it’s unlikely to be dethroned anytime soon.

What are the chances of getting a knife in CS2?

Based on case odds revealed by Valve in 2017, players have a 0.26 percent chance of getting a knife from CS2 cases. This means that if you open 400 CS2 cases, you should at least get one knife or one glove.

Tip:

Don’t forget: collecting as many AK skins as possible is an excellent way to bolster the value of your inventory. I typically aim for cases featuring skins on AKs, AWPs, and either M4. This makes the Dreams & Nightmares Case one of my favorites.

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Skin name	Skin rarity	Skin image
Five-SeveN \| Scrawl	Mil-Spec Pistol
MAC-10 \| Ensnared	Mil-Spec SMG
MAG-7 \| Foresight	Mil-Spec Shotgun
MP5-SD \| Necro Jr.	Mil-Spec SMG
P2000 \| Lifted Spirits	Mil-Spec Pistol
SCAR-20 \| Poultrygeist	Mil-Spec Sniper Rifle
Sawed-Off \| Spirit Board	Mil-Spec Shotgun
PP-Bizon \| Space Cat	Restricted SMG
G3SG1 \| Dream Glade	Restricted Sniper Rifle
M4A1-S \| Night Terror	Restricted Rifle
XM1014 \| Zombie Offensive	Restricted Shotgun
USP-S \| Ticket to Hell	Restricted Pistol
Dual Berettas \| Melondrama	Classified Pistol
FAMAS \| Rapid Eye Movement	Classified Rifle
MP7 \| Abyssal Apparition	Classified SMG
AK-47 \| Nightwish	Covert Rifle
MP9 \| Starlight Protector	Covert SMG
Dreams & Nightmares Case Knives	Rare Special Item	30 possible knives

Skin name	Skin rarity	Skin image
FAMAS \| Meow 36	Mil-Spec Rifle
Galil AR \| Destroyer	Mil-Spec Rifle
M4A4 \| Poly Mag	Mil-Spec Rifle
MAC-10 \| Monkeyflage	Mil-Spec SMG
Negev \| Drop Me	Mil-Spec Machine Gun
UMP-45 \| Roadblock	Mil-Spec SMG
Glock-18 \| Winterized	Mil-Spec Pistol
R8 Revolver \| Crazy 8	Restricted Pistol
M249 \| Downtown	Restricted Machine Gun
SG 553 \| Dragon Tech	Restricted Rifle
P90 \| Vent Rush	Restricted SMG
Dual Berettas \| Flora Carnivora	Restricted Pistol
AK-47 \| Ice Coaled	Classified Rifle
P250 \| Visions	Classified Pistol
Sawed-Off \| Kiss♥Love	Classified Shotgun
USP-S \| Printstream	Covert Pistol
AWP \| Chromatic Aberration	Covert Sniper Rifle
Recoil Case Gloves	Rare Special Item	24 possible gloves

Skin name	Skin rarity	Skin image
AUG \| Plague	Mil-Spec Rifle
G3SG1 \| Keeping Tabs	Mil-Spec Sniper Rifle
Dual Berettas \| Tread	Mil-Spec Pistol
MP7 \| Guerrilla	Mil-Spec SMG
PP-Bizon \| Lumen	Mil-Spec SMG
USP-S \| Black Lotus	Mil-Spec Pistol
XM1014 \| Watchdog	Mil-Spec Shotgun
MAG-7 \| BI83 Spectrum	Restricted Shotgun
FAMAS \| ZX Spectron	Restricted Rifle
Five-SeveN \| Boost Protocol	Restricted Pistol
MP9 \| Mount Fuji	Restricted SMG
M4A4 \| Spider Lily	Restricted Rifle
MAC-10 \| Toybox	Classified SMG
Glock-18 \| Snack Attack	Classified Pistol
SSG 08 \| Turbo Peek	Classified Sniper Rifle
AK-47 \| Leet Museo	Covert Rifle
Desert Eagle \| Ocean Drive	Covert Pistol
Riptide Case Knives	Rare Special Item	30 possible knives

Skin name	Skin rarity	Skin image
Dual Berettas \| Ventilators	Mil-Spec Pistol
G3SG1 \| Orange Crash	Mil-Spec Sniper Rifle
M249 \| Spectre	Mil-Spec Machine Gun
MP9 \| Bioleak	Mil-Spec SMG
P2000 \| Oceanic	Mil-Spec Pistol
Sawed-Off \| Fubar	Mil-Spec Shotgun
SG 553 \| Atlas	Mil-Spec Rifle
CZ75-Auto \| Red Astor	Restricted Pistol
Galil AR \| Firefight	Restricted Rifle
SSG 08 \| Ghost Crusader	Restricted Sniper Rifle
Tec-9 \| Re-Entry	Restricted Pistol
XM1014 \| Black Tie	Restricted Shotgun
AUG \| Fleet Flock	Classified Rifle
P250 \| Asiimov	Classified Pistol
UMP-45 \| Primal Saber	Classified SMG
PP-Bizon \| Judgement of Anubis	Covert SMG
M4A1-S \| Chantico’s Fire	Covert Rifle
Chroma 3 Case Knives	Rare Special Item	30 possible knives

Skin name	Skin rarity	Skin image
CZ75-Auto \| Vendetta	Mil-Spec Pistol
P90 \| Cocoa Rampage	Mil-Spec SMG
G3SG1 \| Digital Mesh	Mil-Spec Sniper Rifle
Galil AR \| Vandal	Mil-Spec Rifle
P250 \| Contaminant	Mil-Spec Pistol
M249 \| Deep Relief	Mil-Spec Machine Gun
MP5-SD \| Condition Zero	Mil-Spec SMG
AWP \| Exoskeleton	Restricted Sniper Rifle
Dual Berettas \| Dezastre	Restricted Pistol
Nova \| Clear Polymer	Restricted Shotgun
SSG 08 \| Parallax	Restricted Sniper Rifle
UMP-45 \| Gold Bismuth	Restricted SMG
Five-SeveN \| Fairy Tale	Classified Pistol
M4A4 \| Cyber Security	Classified Rifle
USP-S \| Monster Mashup	Classified Pistol
M4A1-S \| Printstream	Covert Rifle
Glock-18 \| Neo-Noir	Covert Pistol
Broken Fang Case Gloves	Rare Special Item	24 possible gloves