CSGO gold skins were known to look a bit disappointing in previous Counter Strike installments. In fact, let’s be honest, they looked almost yellow for a while. And it was for this reason that players preferred to stay away from them. After all, having yellow equipment should be a conscious choice.
Well, now, with the release of Counter Strike 2, the golden CS skins have finally gotten their justice. Read this article and find out why they look so much better in the new game.
The Biggest Technical Leap in the History of CS
In March 2023, Valve announced that their most popular game, Counter Strike, would finally get a port to the new Source 2 engine. Of course, the announcement was no surprise, as the entire community had been waiting for this news for a couple of years already. Nonetheless, all the changes promised made the gaming world giddy, leaving everyone waiting for further news. After all, according to the developer, this was to be the biggest technical leap in the game’s history.
Finally, after a few months of beta testing, Counter Strike 2 was released in late September of 2023, and all Global Offensive owners received it as a free upgrade. While opinions about the overall experience were mixed, one thing everyone could agree on – graphically, the game looks much better.
Why Do Skins Look Better in Counter Strike 2?
Source 2, Valve’s new game engine, provides much better graphics capabilities. All it takes is one look at all the games that were ported to it a few years ago, such as Half-Life and Dota, to immediately notice the differences. And now that Counter Strike has finally received its long-awaited update, CS:GO players can also enjoy better in-game graphics. With it, users can experience more realistic grenade smoke, natural lighting on maps and better-looking skins for all the most popular guns. And while Valve promised in its announcement that a large number of items would receive a corresponding appearance update, no one expected the major changes that followed. In fact, the gold skins were the best example of this, because as we mentioned, in Global Offensive they simply looked yellow. This time, on the other hand, it’s impossible to miss their shimmering gold paint, which makes the concept of a gold loadout take on a whole new meaning.
Top 6 Golden Skins for Your New Inventory
The new weapons in Counter Strike 2 look pretty great, which is why today we’re bringing you the best gold skins in the entire game. With Source 2’s new graphical capabilities, gold loadouts are a great way to revamp your inventory. Remember, on SkinsMonkey you can trade CS2 skins at the best prices and without having to worry about big commissions.
MAC-10 Gold Brick
Gold Brick is a relatively fresh addition to Counter Strike, as it came to Global Offensive in 2020 with “Operation Broken Fang.” It is a MAC-10 skin completely covered in shimmering gold paint, which wasn’t particularly impressive on the previous engine. Now, however, as soon as rays of light hit it in Source 2, its surface sparkles in a multitude of colors and immediately attracts the attention of everyone around. If you want a golden loadout skin that really stands out, be sure to invest in this one.
- Flavor Text: All that glitters…
- Lowest Steam Price: $32.35
- Highest Steam Price: $52.79
M4A4 The Coalition
M4A4 The Coalition is the perfect combination of gold and black, which did not live up to its potential in the previous game. In fact, at first glance, anyone looking at the item would be impressed, but when it was used on maps in CSGO, it turned out to be a disappointment. Fortunately, CS2 saves its honor by increasing the contrast between the colors and making the inconspicuous blue highlights shine a bit more, adding real character to this weapon skin. If you’re a fan of gold accents, but don’t necessarily want an all-gold item, then The Coalition is perfect for you. This piece looks like it could be hanging in an art gallery.
- Flavor Text: This alliance is temporary, but you’re making me reconsider…
- Lowest Steam Price: $9.15
- Highest Steam Price: $423.04
M4A1-S Golden Coi
Just as the M4A1-S is a sister weapon to the M4A4, the Golden Coil is in a sense a sister skin to the Coalition weapon skin. It should be noted, however, that while they share many common features, such as the iconic black and gold color combination, they are still very different. In fact, if you look closely, you’ll notice the beautiful pattern that has been applied to the top of the Golden Coil, featuring a beautiful shimmering attacking snake. We assure you that once this little thing hits the CS2 maps, everyone will be jealous of you. This item was added to the game way back in 2015, but we’re pretty sure it will see a revival soon.
- Flavor Text: The viper can strike from anywhere
- Lowest Steam Price: $23.07
- Highest Steam Price: $139.57
Gut Knife Lore
There is actually only one series of knives that is truly gold, and that is, of course, Lore. These iconic blades have been waiting a long time for the moment when they would actually reflect the sun’s rays on maps. Only now, in Source 2, can you see just how impressive the gold knotwork they’ve been painted with is. Finally, players can enjoy them in all their glory, and even though it’s been a long time since the “Gamma Exposure” update, we couldn’t imagine a better time to revive this item. Of course, Lore is available in many knife skin versions, but our favorite is the Gut Knife, so we decided to add it to our list.
- Flavor Text: The viper can strike from anywhere
- Lowest Steam Price: $130.09
- Highest Steam Price: $248.27
AK-47 Gold Arabesque
There’s practically no CS player who hasn’t heard of the AK-47. It’s probably the most popular weapon in gaming history, and the Gold Arabesque is arguably one of the best gold skins in Counter Strike history. And even though it’s only been available in the game since 2021, it’s still managed to become one of CS’s icons, now continuing its legacy directly into Source 2. Just imagine how great it could look with all the color and light upgrades on the new maps! It’s hard to find an item even close to it (maybe excluding the next entry on our list), so if you haven’t discovered the magic of Gold Arabesque yet, do so. But be careful, as it is one of the most expensive weapon finishes in the game.
- Flavor Text: “What other tricks does Booth have up his sleeve?”
- Lowest Steam Price: $1,753.27
- Highest Steam Price: $3,738.33
AWP Dragon Lore
Ok, we know that adding this skin to your collection is practically impossible, but not including it in the list of top gold items was simply unacceptable. That said, everyone knows Dragon Lore, as its Souvenir version is the most expensive object in all of CS. And yes, there’s no doubt that it already looked great in the Counter Strike: Global Offensive world. After all, such popularity doesn’t come out of nowhere. Nevertheless, imagine how great it can look in Counter-Strike 2, with all the new graphical capabilities of the Source 2 engine. Every little detail of this item will now be visible, so we can’t wait for someone to appear with it on the maps in the new game. Unfortunately, given that even the Minimal Wear version costs several thousand, the chances of this happening are quite low.
- Flavor Text: 200 keys could never unlock its secrets
- Lowest Steam Price: $4,015.39
- Highest Steam Price: $10,289.97
Conclusions
If you want to stand out from other players and have been convinced by Source 2’s new graphic capabilities, then be sure to consider completing a gold loadout in Counter Strike 2. However, if gold isn’t quite for you, then be sure to check out our blog for more inspiration on great inventory in the new game.
A true gaming enthusiast, especially Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Rust. At SkinsMonkey, he is involved in creating game guides based on his own experience.
