Counter-Strike 2 is one of the most popular online shooters in the world, with almost a million people playing it at any one time. 

The long-awaited follow-up to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (more commonly known as CSGO), CS2 is a comprehensive refresh built from the ground up in Valve’s new Source 2 engine, which allows for some spectacular visual and practical effects. 

Critics love it, players love it, and—best of all—CS2 is totally free to play. 

So how does Valve make its money? Like Fortnite, PUBG, and countless other modern multiplayer games, CS2 is monetized with optional, purely cosmetic items, and these come in cases. 

How Cases Work in CS2

Cases in CS2 are a bit like the sealed box in the Schroedinger’s Cat thought experiment, except they contain potentially valuable skins instead of a potentially dead pet. 

There’s an equal chance that a number of different items are inside, but all of these probabilities resolve into a single reality when you flip the lid. That reality might be worth a lot of money, or it might be worth nothing at all. 

You can buy cases, but CS2 gives you at least one every week for ranking up, in the form of a Weekly Care Package. 

The value of the items inside is decided by the normal market forces of rarity and desirability. Common items tend not to be worth very much, while Immortal items can be worth a small fortune. 

Either way, it’ll cost you $2.50 for a key in order to find out.  

That might sound like a lot of money until you find yourself in possession of an item whose market value exceeds the $1800 Steam marketplace limit.  

Clash.gg

Platforms like Clash.gg allow you to trade in highly valuable items, circumventing Steam’s restrictions. 

But there’s so much more to Clash.gg than that. It also lets you create and sell your own cases, and gamble with skins via a range of different casino-style minigames.

This is real gambling, for real money. Clash.gg. Is fun, and potentially profitable, but it’s not for the faint-hearted. 

To get an idea of how not to play it, check out what happens when YouTuber Void has a bad day at the tables:

Visit the Clash.gg website to check it out.