In Counter-Strike 2, the UMP-45 is perhaps one of the most underappreciated weapons. For $1200, players have access to a powerful close-range SMG that's perfect for tucking away on tight angles.

In the right hand, the UMP-45 can deal tons of damage and can be bought on both the T and CT sides. Despite this, it's not exactly the most popular weapon in the game, with most players opting for the MAC-10 and MP9 as budget SMG options. It still has 41 weapon skins to use - let's rank them!

Counter-Strike 2 UMP-45 Skins Tier List

There's only one factor we're considering when ranking these UMP-45 CS2 skins into a Tier List: aesthetics. If you're adding a new Counter-Strike 2 skin to your loadout, you won't (or shouldn't, at least) buy one you don't like. That's why our Tier List focuses on how cool a skin looks. The S Tier and A Tier skins are the ones you need in your inventory, while the B and C Tier ones you can probably skip unless you massively disagree with our rankings.

Just because a skin is expensive doesn't mean it's good. Cheap doesn't necessarily mean bad, either, with some of the best UMP-45 skins in Counter-Strike 2 being among the most affordable to pick up. Because of this, price isn't a factor in this Tier List. However, we've still included a guide price based on Steam transactions for the Factory New versions of each skin. It's useful information, even if it doesn't determine which skin is the "best."

S Tier

• Momentum ($10)
• Primal Saber ($14)
• Wild Child ($13)

A Tier

• Arctic Wolf ($1.50)
• Blaze ($20)
• Carbon Fiber ($0.14)
• Crime Scene ($110)
• Exposure ($1.75)
• Fade ($500)
• Labyrinth ($0.30)
• Minotaur's Labyrinth ($140)
• Scaffold ($4)

B Tier

• Caramel ($55)
• Delusion ($3)
• Fallout Warning ($80)
• Full Stop ($2)
• Grand Prix ($0.50)
• Gunsmoke ($0.18)
• Indigo ($15)
• Moonrise ($1.35)
• Motorized ($0.35)
• Plastique ($2)
• Urban DDPAT ($0.10)

C Tier

• Bone Pile ($17)
• Briefing ($0.40)
• Corporal ($1)
• Day Lily ($130)
• Default ($0)
• Facility Dark ($0.03)
• Gold Bismuth ($7)
• Houndstooth ($4.50)
• Mechanism ($5)
• Metal Flowers ($4.50)
• Mudder ($0.08)
• Oscillator ($0.50)
• Riot ($0.45)
• Roadblock ($0.30)
• Scorched ($12)

You may notice that some of these skins cross the $100 mark in price. It's worth remembering that these prices reflect the cost of the Factory New versions of these skins, which are by far the most expensive.

There are four other wear ratings in Counter-Strike 2: Minimal Wear, Field-Tested, Well-Worn, and Battle-Scarred. Each wear rating sees each skin become more worn, which, in most cases, reduces the cost dramatically. Consider this if you reckon a skin costs more than you're willing to spend.

The post Counter-Strike 2 UMP-45 skins Tier List: All CS2 UMP-45 skins, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

The Five-SeveN is one of the most powerful sidearms in Counter-Strike 2. Besides the Desert Eagle, this CT side pistol has arguably the highest skill ceiling of any secondary weapon in the game. Kind of useless when used by a new player but incredibly dangerous in the hands of a CS veteran.

Like all weapons in CS2, the Five-SeveN features 36 unique weapon skins you can purchase to jazz up the appearance of your sidearm. Let's put them into a Tier List, shall we?

Counter-Strike 2 Five-SeveN Skins Tier List

Our rankings for this Tier List are based purely on the appearance of each skin. You're spoiled for choice with Five-SeveN skins, with plenty of awesome options that don't cost an arm and a leg to pick up. The S and A Tier skins are the ones we think you should be looking at, but the subjective nature of this means you may find your favorite tucked away in the B and C Tiers, too.

For many players, the price will also be important. That's why we've included an approximate price you can expect to pay when buying the Factory New versions of these Five-SeveN skins. A note, though. Prices in the Counter-Strike 2 skins market are always changing, so you may find that some of these are cheaper or more expensive at the time of reading. Still, it's good to get an idea of which ones are in your price range.

S Tier

• Angry Mob ($13.50)
• Berries And Cherries ($110)
• Boost Protocol ($4.50)
• Fairy Tale ($60)
• Hyper Beast ($115)

A Tier

• Candy Apple ($100)
• Capillary ($0.50)
• Copper Galaxy ($8)
• Fall Hazard ($300)
• Fowl Play ($10)
• Hybrid ($3)
• Monkey Business ($14)
• Retrobution ($3.50)
• Scrawl ($0.30)
• Triumvirate ($5)
• Urban Hazard ($2)

B Tier

• Buddy ($2)
• Case Hardened ($22)
• Coolant ($0.03)
• Crimson Blossom ($140)
• Flame Test ($0.25)
• Neon Kimono ($350)
• Nitro ($40)
• Silver Quartz ($0.60)
• Violent Daimyo ($0.80)

C Tier

• Anodized Gunmetal ($12)
• Contractor ($20)
• Default ($0)
• Forest Night ($0.15)
• Hot Shot ($17)
• Jungle ($30)
• Kami ($2.30)
• Nightshade ($3)
• Orange Peel ($0.30)
• Scumbria ($0.45)
• Withered Vine ($6.50)

As you can see, Five-SeveN skins in Counter-Strike 2 range from a few cents to hundreds of dollars. You don't always have to go big to get the skins you want, however. Our prices reflect the Factory New versions of the above skins, but you can opt for Minimal Wear, Field-Tested, Well-Worn, or Battle-Scarred options instead to bring the price down considerably.

The Five-SeveN Hyper Beast is an excellent example of this. You can expect to pay around $115 to pick this up in Factory New, while the Battle-Scarred variant comes in at approximately $25 at the moment. A steep discount, to say the least.

The post Counter-Strike 2 Five-SeveN skins Tier List: All CS2 Five-SeveN skins, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

The P250 might just be Counter-Strike 2's most underrated weapon. In the right hands, this $300 sidearm can become a death machine, making it a perfect choice for eco rounds.

It may not have the devastating power of the Desert Eagle, but the P250 more than holds its own in the current CS2 meta. Because of this, there are a bunch of popular P250 Counter-Strike skins to collect in-game - 48 of them, to be exact. Let's rank them!

Counter-Strike 2 P250 Skins Tier List

To rank our Counter-Strike 2 P250 skins Tier List, we're basing it primarily on each one's aesthetics. Now, this is totally subjective, and you might disagree with a few of them, but we think these are the best-looking skins in CS2. When buying your new P250 skin, this is always going to be the deciding factor, which is why we're using it for our rankings.

Cost is important, too, of course. While the price of these skins doesn't affect this Tier List, we have included a guide price for each one based on their cost on the Steam Marketplace at the moment. This is ever-changing, but it's good to know which skins are in your approximate price range. The P250 is unique in that many of its most interesting skins actually cost the least to buy, so there are a few bargain opportunities here.

S Tier

• Asiimov ($19)
• Cassette ($0.20)
• Muertos ($11)
• Visions ($12)
• Wingshot ($5.50)
• Whiteout ($180)

A Tier

• Apep's Curse ($100)
• Cartel ($17)
• Crimson Kimono ($31)
• Facility Draft ($0.03)
• Metallic DDPAT ($0.15)
• Re.built ($0.30)
• See Ya Later ($10.50)
• Supernova ($1.80)
• Valence ($0.80)

B Tier

• Bengal Tiger ($25)
• Cyber Shell ($1.50)
• Dark Filigree ($10)
• Digital Architect ($55)
• Exchanger ($0.55)
• Franklin ($1.70)
• Gunsmoke ($50)
• Mehndi ($25)
• Nevermore ($1.80)
• Nuclear Threat ($400)
• Red Rock ($11)
• Ripple ($0.42)
• Undertow ($55)
• Verdigris ($0.55)
• Vino Primo ($7)
• X-Ray ($0.60)

C Tier

• Black & Tan ($28)
• Bone Mask ($8)
• Boreal Forest ($0.12)
• Contaminant ($1.20)
• Contamination ($3.90)
• Default ($0)
• Drought ($0.85)
• Facets ($45)
• Forest Night ($2.50)
• Hive ($7.50)
• Inferno ($2)
• Iron Clad ($0.60)
• Mint Kimono ($6.50)
• Modern Hunter ($450)
• Sand Dune ($0.50)
• Splash ($40)
• Steel Disruption ($2.50)

All of the prices that we're using here reflect (about) what it should cost you to grab the Factory New versions of these skins. That doesn't mean you can't grab them for cheaper, though. Wear rating is often a big factor in skin price, and if you're willing to compromise on quality, you can also go for a Minimal Wear, Field-Tested, Well-Worn, or Battle-Scarred version of each skin instead.

The P250 Whiteout is a great example here, coming in at around $180 in Factory New. However, the Minimal Wear version will cost you about $50 - a massive change despite the minute difference in quality.

The post Counter-Strike 2 P250 skins Tier List: All CS2 P250 skins, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

The Galil AR is one of Counter-Strike 2's most useful weapons. At $1800, it represents a budget alternative to the AK-47 on T side while still being more than capable of winning rounds in the right hands.

Because of how useful it can be, the Galil AR also has some of the game's most popular skins. Found either in cases or on the Steam Marketplace, there are 34 Galil AR skins in total, ranging anywhere from a few cents to hundreds of dollars.

Counter-Strike 2 Galil AR Skins Tier List

If you're choosing one Galil AR skin to add to your Counter-Strike 2 inventory, there's one factor above all else you're going to consider: looks. After all, if you don't actually like skin, why would you buy it? To put all the Galil AR skins into our Tier List, we're only going to consider the aesthetic side of it. The S Tier skins here are the must-buys, while the C Tier options are the ones we'd only recommend if you really disagree with our rankings.

For some players, price will be an important factor, too. While we're not considering it in our rankings, we have made sure to include a guide price you can expect to pay for each skin. There's no point checking out a skin and falling in love with it, only to find it's out of your price range. These prices are based on recent Steam Marketplace transactions for the Factory New version of each skin, although it's essential to be aware that these fluctuate on a daily basis.

S Tier

• Chromatic Aberration ($12)
• Eco ($40)
• Sugar Rush ($75)

A Tier

• Blue Titanium ($4.50)
• Chatterbox ($90)
• Connexion ($1.60)
• Phoenix Blacklight ($85)
• Rocket Pop ($8)
• Signal ($1.80)
• Stone Cold ($8)
• Tuxedo ($1.55)

B Tier

• Amber Fade ($33)
• Aqua Terrace ($160)
• Cerberus ($85)
• Cold Fusion ($0.30)
• Crimson Tsunami ($5)
• Destroyer ($0.25)
• Dusk Ruins ($20)
• Firefight ($2.80)
• Kami ($4.50)
• Orange DDPAT ($45)

C Tier

• Akoben ($0.65)
• Black Sand ($0.80)
• CAUTION! ($75)
• Default ($0)
• Hunting Blind ($7.50)
• Sage Spray ($0.19)
• Sandstorm ($4)
• Shattered ($23)
• Tornado ($17.50)
• Urban Rubble ($22)
• Vandal ($2.20)
• VariCamo ($0.10)
• Winter Forest ($250)

While you might think some of these CS2 Galil AR skins are a little steep for your taste, remember, these prices are all Factory New. If you decide to purchase a Minimal Wear, Field-Tested, Well-Worn, or Battle-Scarred version of each skin, you can bring down the cost dramatically.

The skins will look worse, but you're paying the premium with a Factory New wear rating. The Galil AR Winter Forest illustrates this perfectly. You'll need to spend in the realm of $250 to find this skin Factory New, but it sells Battle-Scarred for about $10 on the Steam Marketplace.

The post Counter-Strike 2 Galil AR skins Tier List: All CS2 Galil AR skins, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Counter-Strike 2's AUG is, simply put, not the most popular weapon in the game. Available exclusively on the CT side, this scoped weapon will set you back $3300 of in-game cash to purchase, making it more expensive than the more powerful M4A1-S or M4A4.

Despite not being used often on the server, the AUG still has a bunch of great skins that you can buy on the Steam Marketplace or open via cases. There are 38 in total to rank - let's get into it.

Counter-Strike 2 AUG Skins Tier List

Our criteria for ranking Counter-Strike 2 AUG skins is easy. We're basing it purely on looks, because you shouldn't be spending your hard-earned money on an expensive AUG skin you don't like. Aesthetics will always be the deal-breaker when buying a CS2 skin, although it's probably the most subjective factor of all.

While the cost isn't coming into the equation to rank these skins, we've still included a base price for each one. The price of CS2 items on the Steam Marketplace is constantly changing, so we've looked at the recent transactions for each of the AUG skins and approximated a price that we think you should be able to pick them up for. It may not be the deciding factor for you, but it's good to know which ones are in your price range before you actually go looking for them.

S Tier

• Akihabara Accept ($3700)
• Carved Jade ($20)
• Hot Rod ($550)
• Momentum ($20)

A Tier

• Anodized Navy ($30)
• Bengal Tiger ($38)
• Chameleon ($5.50)
• Death by Puppy ($13)
• Random Access ($4.50)
• Stymphalian ($8)
• Syd Mead ($10)
• Torque ($13.50)
• Wings ($32)

B Tier

• Arctic Wolf ($7)
• Aristocrat ($3)
• Flame Jörmungandr ($400)
• Fleet Flock ($13)
• Midnight Lily ($500) 
• Ricochet ($0.65)
• Sand Storm ($80)
• Snake Pit ($0.15)
• Triqua ($0.45)

C Tier

• Amber Fade ($2)
• Amber Slipstream ($0.45)
• Colony ($12)
• Condemned ($0.25)
• Contractor ($0.10)
• Copperhead ($100)
• Daedalus ($5.50)
• Default ($0)
• Navy Murano ($6)
• Plague ($2)
• Radiation Hazard ($3.50)
• Spalted Wood ($6)
• Storm ($0.55)
• Surveillance ($1.20)
• Sweeper ($0.03)
• Tom Cat ($0.35)

It's important to note that all the prices shown above reflect the Factory New prices of each skin. If you're not fussed about your guns looking a little weathered and worn, you can instead choose a lower wear rating version of a skin to lower the price.

Each one is available in Minimal Wear, Field-Tested, Well-Worn, and Battle-Scarred, with each tier bringing down the cost of the skins a little more. Nothing proves this better than the most expensive skin on this list, the AUG Akihabara Accept. Although you can expect to spend upwards of $3700 in Factory New, its Battle-Scarred version can be found for approximately $300 on Steam.

The post Counter-Strike 2 AUG skins Tier List: All CS2 AUG skins, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Since the release of Counter-Strike 2 in September 2023, many fans have been hard at work on community-made maps for use on custom servers. These maps aren't part of the CS2 Active Duty map pool but can offer a fun change of pace from the usual rotation.

Most of these maps are downloaded from the Steam Workshop. Afterward, you can play them with friends on private servers, choosing your favorites to hop into a game with.

Aim Japan Shogun Showdown

If you're sick and tired of Counter-Strike 2's usual aesthetic, Aim Japan Shogun Showdown will feel like a breath of fresh air. This map is intended to be a 1v1 server set in a traditional Japanese village, making it great for fast-paced warmups alongside your duo before queuing for a match. It's not all eye candy, though - Aim Japan Shogun Showdown has some interesting geography, which makes for some tactically intense 1v1 matches.

Akiba

Set in a Tokyo convention center, Akiba focuses on standard 5v5 bomb defusal gameplay. This map is a visual feast, focusing more on showing off what Source 2 is capable of than creating compelling matches. That said, it still makes for fun matches, whether you're playing with friends or bots in offline games.

Biome

We'll say it: Biome is probably the best Counter-Strike 2 map not currently in the Active Duty rotation. It was made by jd40, the iconic map-maker behind Anubis, and Biome is his latest (and arguably greatest) work. Set inside a dome, Biome is intended for standard 5v5 defusal gameplay, and features all the nuances and tricks of a fully-fledged CS2 map. If you can get nine players together at the same time, we'd definitely recommend giving Biome a try. Considering jd40 has a great relationship with Valve after Anubis, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that this map makes it into the full game one day.

Brewery

You'll earn no prizes for wondering where Brewery takes place. This map is a remake of a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive classic, giving it a fresh coat of paint to make it relevant in the new game engine. Brewery is primarily a CS2 Wingman map, meaning it's intended to only be played in 2v2 matches instead of the standard 5v5. There's a reason it has remained popular across versions of the game - its simple design makes for some intense Wingman matches.

Foroglio

Foroglio is set in a small Swiss village up high in the mountains, offering some remarkable vistas you won't see anywhere else in Counter-Strike 2. Level designer Rikuda has done something really interesting with this 2v2 Wingman map. By setting it on a hill, Foroglio becomes defined by its verticality, a unique trait for a CS map to have. There are plenty of nooks and crannies to get the jump on your enemies here, which means you'll have to use all the tools at your disposal to win a Foroglio match.

Futsal

There's more to Futsal than meets the eye. This Counter-Strike 2 Workshop map isn't just a recreation of a futsal pitch. Nope - it actually works! You can shoot the scoreboard in Futsal to drop the ball, which you can either shoot or run into to push it around the field. The scoreboard will recognize when a goal is scored, and you can even use the in-game radio to blare some music while you play. It's not the CS2 gameplay you're used to, but it's an interesting concept in its own right.

Inferno Night

Inferno is one of Counter-Strike's most iconic maps, having been a series staple as far back as 1.6. New iterations of the map have kept it feeling fresh for over two decades, but there's one approach Valve has never taken with Inferno - nighttime. Angel's Inferno Night changes this, turning the clock forward a few hours on a CS legend. You'd be surprised how much it changes the map's ambiance, with neon signs lit up, carefully placed street lights, and fireflies dancing in the night.

Lost Coast

Lost Coast is less of a functional map intended to be played and more of a Source 2 tech demo. It's to be explored and marveled at, offering a glimpse of what maps on Counter-Strike 2's engine could look like in the future. If you're someone who loves to take a lot of screenshots of your CS2 skins, too, then Lost Coast is the perfect backdrop for this.

Rainfall

Rainfall is another CS2 Workshop gem from level designer Rikuda. This 2v2 Wingman map places you on a rainy day in the Faroe Islands, where you'll disrupt the quaintness with some crazy Counter-Strike action. There's a lot to appreciate about Rainfall, and it's got a level of polish that could eventually see it make its way to the base game.

Vandal

Finishing off with another 2v2 Wingman offering, Vandal is the map that feels most in line with Counter-Strike 2's base aesthetic. In a way, it almost feels like an extension of Overpass, just smaller. Despite being made for smaller matches, Vandal features multiple routes into the map's single bomb site, which have been carefully considered to ensure every 2v2 round plays out differently.

The post 10 best Counter-Strike 2 Workshop maps appeared first on Destructoid.

Spectre Divide offers 20 different weapons each round, and a lot of players end up going for the most expensive ones, thinking it’ll guarantee a win. While that is true sometimes, it’s not always the case. Since the game is still fresh, it’s worth taking some time to get a feel for the combat and figure out which weapon suits your play style best.

With that in mind, we’ve put together a tier list for all the weapons in Spectre Divide to help you figure out which ones are worth mastering.

Spectre Divide weapons tier list

S-Tier

• Prototype-OP
• Duster RX6
• Whisper
• Berserker RB3
• Cyclone

S-Tier weapons are super popular because they dish out serious damage. Whether you’re landing headshots with a single shot or going for a crazy spray, these are the weapons you definitely want to have.

A-Tier

• M67 Reaver
• Tempest
• Trident
• Harpe
• Crusader
• Blackout

A-Tier weapons deliver damage similar to S-Tier weapons, but their instability is what keeps them from the top tier. With some practice, though, you can get the hang of them, and they’ll perform just as well as S-Tier weapons.

B-Tier

• Shiv
• Buzzsaw RT40
• M25 Hornet
• M18 Drummer

B-Tier weapons are really handy in clutch situations and are a solid choice if you’ve got a decent budget. They’re also some of the more affordable options, which makes them great for honing your skills in Spectre Divide. If I were just starting out and finding S-Tier and A-Tier weapons a bit tricky, I’d definitely go with B-Tier to get a better feel for the combat mechanics.

C-Tier

• M17 Bouncer
• M10 Brat
• M49 Fury
• M2 Carbon

C-Tier weapons might not be your best bet for clutch moments, but if you’re running low on funds, they are still worth a try. Honestly, getting one or two kills with them is enough to help you upgrade to better weapons in the next round. However, B-Tier weapons are in a similar price range, so it makes more sense to go with those instead.

D-Tier

• Knife

In the D-Tier, you’ll find the melee knife. Not surprising, really—it doesn’t give you much of an edge and is basically just a last-ditch option. Most people steer clear of using it.

The post Spectre Divide weapons tier list: Best weapons, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Counter-Strike 2's MP9 is the CT side's overpowered SMG. This $1250 pocket rocket is an absolute monster in close-range engagements, and many players have even called for it to be nerfed.

In many ways, it's the CT side equivalent of CS2's MAC-10. With a $600 kill bonus, the MP9 is the gun of choice to build up your economy throughout a CT half. It's a popular weapon, to say the least, which means many of its in-game skins can come at a premium.

Counter-Strike 2 MP9 Skins Tier List

The MP9 has just 34 skins to choose from in Counter-Strike 2. Many other weapons have upwards of 50 skins, so it's surprising to see how few the MP9 currently has. You can find these skins in Counter-Strike 2 cases, or by simply buying your favorite from the Steam Marketplace.

To rank these CS2 MP9 skins into four tiers, we've made our choices based on how cool each one looks. Counter-Strike 2 skins are purely cosmetic, so realistically, there's no other factor to go on. You shouldn't be buying skins you don't like the look of if you're planning to use it, unless you're a collector looking to pick up all of them. Of course, skin appearance is totally subjective, so you may disagree with some of our rankings.

Still, for some players, the price will play a factor in their decision when choosing a new Counter-Strike 2 MP9 skin. When skins go as high as $2000 for the MP9, it makes sense that not everyone will want to shell out this sort of cash. This is why for each skin, we've included an estimated price. This is based on the recent transactions for the Factory New versions of the skins on the Steam Marketplace. The CS2 skins market fluctuates daily, but this should give you a rough idea of the price bracket you'll be shopping in.

S Tier

• Food Chain ($11)
• Hot Rod ($150)
• Mount Fuji ($13)
• Starlight Protector ($19)
• Wild Lily ($2000)

A Tier

• Airlock ($14)
• Bulldozer ($500)
• Featherweight ($0.35)
• Pandora's Box ($200)
• Rose Iron ($9)
• Stained Glass ($125)

B Tier

• Capillary ($0.90)
• Dark Age ($150)
• Dart ($0.90)
• Deadly Poison ($3)
• Goo ($2)
• Hydra ($21)
• Hypnotic ($11)
• Ruby Poison Dart ($2.60)
• Setting Sun ($12.50)
• Storm ($31)

C Tier

• Army Sheen ($1.10)
• Bioleak ($0.40)
• Black Sand ($0.30)
• Default ($0)
• Dry Season ($42)
• Green Plaid ($10)
• Modest Threat ($0.30)
• Music Box ($22)
• Old Roots ($6)
• Orange Peel ($0.40)
• Sand Dashed ($0.10)
• Sand Scale ($0.35)
• Slide ($0.10)

It's always worth noting that since our prices here are based on Factory New Counter-Strike 2 skins, you can also find them for cheaper if you go for a lower wear rating. Consider grabbing an MP9 skin in Minimal Wear, Field-Tested, Well-Worn, or Battle-Scarred instead, as it can make a huge difference to the price. The best example of this here is the MP9 Bulldozer. While it costs around $500 to get in Factory New, its Battle-Scarred variant can be found for approximately $70, and we actually prefer the worn look on the cheaper option. Just make sure you know what's available to you!

The post Counter-Strike 2 MP9 skins Tier List: All CS2 MP9 skins, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

In Counter-Strike 2, the MAC-10 is the T side weapon of choice for players looking to take a bomb site quickly. With high mobility and solid damage, fending off a team storming you with MAC-10s is extremely difficult.

In Counter-Strike 2, you will use the MAC-10 at some point on T side. That's a fact for most players. You simply can't afford to buy an AK-47 or a Galil AR every round, so you'll likely compromise with a MAC-10 on occasion. This means that the skins for the MAC-10 in CS2 can be extremely popular among players.

Counter-Strike 2 MAC-10 Skins Tier List

At $1050, the MAC-10 is the T side equivalent of the MP9, and like every other weapon in Counter-Strike 2, it has its own selection of skins for you to find in cases and purchase from the marketplace. There are 47, to be exact - let's rank them!

Before we dive into the rankings, we're clarifying that we're basing these placements on aesthetics only. Obviously, the price is important, and we've included a guide price for each skin based on recent Steam Marketplace transactions. But when push comes to shove, you're likely going to consider the look of a skin above everything else. For the most part, the average player isn't picking up CS2 skins for hundreds of dollars that they don't actually like. Leave that to the avid collectors. It's definitely worth knowing the prices for each - just don't let that guide your final decision.

S Tier

• Disco Tech ($15)
• Fade ($40)
• Heat ($9)
• Propaganda ($60)
• Stalker ($65)

A Tier

• Button Masher ($1.40)
• Case Hardened ($90)
• Ensnared ($0.30)
• Gold Brick ($70)
• Lapis Gator ($1)
• Light Box ($0.90)
• Neon Rider ($13.50)
• Nuclear Garden ($11)
• Sakkaku ($1.15)
• Silver ($0.15)
• Toybox ($19)

B Tier

• Allure ($1.70)
• Amber Fade ($19)
• Candy Apple ($0.15)
• Echoing Sands ($0.65)
• Graven ($40)
• Indigo ($24)
• Last Dive ($3.50)
• Malachite ($3.75)
• Oceanic ($0.30)
• Pipe Down ($2.15)
• Rangeen ($0.65)
• Red Filigree ($120)
• Tornado ($45)
• Whitefish ($0.80)

C Tier

• Aloha ($4.50)
• Calf Skin ($0.20)
• Carnivore ($0.70)
• Classic Crate ($0.40)
• Commuter ($24)
• Copper Borre ($130)
• Curse ($12.50)
• Default ($0)
• Hot Snakes ($280)
• Monkeyflage ($0.30)
• Palm ($0.25)
• Sienna Damask ($0.80)
• Strats ($1)
• Surfwood ($5.50)
• Tatter ($13)
• Ultraviolet ($26)
• Urban DDPAT ($20)

While MAC-10 skins don't break the bank like other Counter-Strike 2 skins (for the most part), you can always bring the price down even further by picking up a lower wear rating than Factory New. Most skins are available in Minimal Wear, Field-Tested, Well-Worn, and Battle-Scarred wear ratings, which can have a big impact on the overall price. You may even find you prefer the more worn look for some of these skins! The MAC-10 Stalker is a great example of this. While a Factory New version sets you back approximately $65, it can be found in Battle-Scarred for around $9, making it much more affordable for the average player looking for a new skin.

The post Counter-Strike 2 MAC-10 skins Tier List: All CS2 MAC-10 skins, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Unless your name is Todd Anthony Shaw, there's no such thing as being Too Short. What about a 10-minute game, though? If that's not too short for you, you'll want to keep an eye on recently-announced first-person shooter Tamashika. 

Billed as a "fast-paced arcade style corridor shooter," Tamashika comes from quicktequila, the developer behind Lovely Planet. Originally released in 2014, Lovely Planet also fit the description of a surreal FPS in its own way, with a simplistic, low-poly pastel aesthetic that belied its speedy and frantic shooting. 

Tamashika is similarly swift. As for its visuals, well, take a look for yourself:

Also like Lovely Planet, Tamashika doesn't really seem to give a rip about stories and cinematics. The description from quicktequila promises that there are "NO Checkpoints, NO Unlocks & NO Cutscenes." This paints the picture of a brazenly bare experience that does exactly what it promises in the frenetic trailer. You have a single weapon in your semi-auto pistol, and a tanto blade as your sole side-arm. There's one procedurally generated level with a layout that changes daily. There is one achievement. Get out of here with your pitiful demands! 

Considering how deliberately opaque and borderline stream-of-consciousness the synopsis is, it's kind of hard to tell how much of the info about Tamashika is just quicktequila being cheeky. For my money — however much the price tag ends up being, at least — "The developer predicts this game could be described as difficult & repetitive" is a decent selling point. "Total playtime is approximately 10 minutes" is the next frame of the Vince McMahon Reaction meme. "Hand-drawn animations"? Ya got me hollerin' like a dog. 

With reminders to CONCENTRATE and a refrain chanting ATTENTION IS ALL YOU NEED, maybe it's all just one big mindfulness exercise. We'll find out what, if anything, awaits at the end of that dizzying corridor when Tamashika launches via Steam sometime in 2025. 

The post Lovely Planet devs reveal psychedelic, short-form FPS Tamashika appeared first on Destructoid.

The Desert Eagle is by far the best pistol in Counter-Strike 2. At just $700, this weapon has devastating one-hit kill potential to the head and, in the right hands, can decimate an entire team in a single clip. When the economy is looking rough and a miracle is needed, players often lean on the Desert Eagle to bail them out.

Every weapon in Counter-Strike 2 has its own unique skins to collect, and the Desert Eagle is no exception. Landing a one-tap headshot on an enemy is satisfying enough with the Deagle, but doing it with a stylish skin just hits different.

Counter-Strike 2 Desert Eagle Skins Tier List

Because of its raw power, the 36 available Desert Eagle skins are often among the most popular that Counter-Strike 2 has to offer. Of course, this also comes at a high cost, with many Deagle skins costing hundreds of dollars to add to your CS2 inventory.

If you're in the market for a new Desert Eagle skin, you're likely thinking about one thing: aesthetics. You're not throwing hundreds of dollars at a Counter-Strike 2 Deagle skin that you don't even like (at least we hope not). Because of this, our CS2 Desert Eagle skins Tier List will be ranked on how each one looks. There are definitely a few controversial rankings here, so remember: Counter-Strike 2 skins are totally subjective.

Our guide prices are based on recent transactions for the Factory New versions of these skins on the Steam Marketplace. It's an ever-changing market, but at least you'll have an estimate for each of what you can expect to spend on your chosen Desert Eagle skin.

S Tier

• Code Red ($85)
• Conspiracy ($11)
• Emerald Jörmungandr ($430)
• Midnight Storm ($32)
• Printstream ($115)
• Sunset Storm 弐 ($350)
• Sunset Storm 壱 ($350)

A Tier

• Blue Ply ($2)
• Cobalt Disruption ($105)
• Crimson Web ($115)
• Fennec Fox ($500)
• Night Heist ($20)
• Ocean Drive ($150)

B Tier

• Corinthian ($0.75)
• Directive ($14)
• Golden Koi ($135)
• Hand Cannon ($600)
• Hypnotic ($110)
• Kumicho Dragon ($40)
• Light Rail ($4.50)
• Mecha Industries ($10.50)
• Naga ($7)
• Night ($80)
• Trigger Discipline ($4)

C Tier

• Blaze ($800)
• Bronze Deco ($0.55)
• Default ($0)
• Heirloom ($17)
• Meteorite ($1.20)
• Mudder ($0.55)
• Oxide Blaze ($0.70)
• Pilot ($170)
• Sputnik ($3)
• The Bronze ($7)
• Urban DDPAT ($19)
• Urban Rubble ($0.60)

It's always worth pointing out that the prices above are based on the Factory New versions of these Counter-Strike 2 skins. You can always purchase any of the skins in Minimal Wear, Field-Tested, Well-Worn, or Battle-Scarred wear ratings instead, which in most instances, brings the price down dramatically. Take the Desert Eagle Crimson Web, for example. It costs $115 in Factory New, but the Battle-Scarred version can be found for around $9. Sometimes, compromise makes all the difference!

The post Counter-Strike 2 Desert Eagle skins Tier List: All CS2 Desert Eagle skins, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Counter-Strike 2's FAMAS may not be the most popular rifle on the CT side, but at $2050, it provides a budget option for those who can't afford the M4A1-S or M4A4 when the game's economy is tight.

Despite its relative unpopularity among players, there are still a bunch of cool Counter-Strike 2 FAMAS skins for you to grab. Being forced to use the FAMAS isn't ideal, but it's certainly a lot more palatable when you've got something nice to look at the entire time.

Counter-Strike 2 FAMAS Skins Tier List

Counter-Strike 2 features a total of 34 skins for the FAMAS. This gives you plenty of options when picking up the next item for your inventory, and because they're not as in demand as other CS2 rifles, there's significant potential to pick up a bargain here.

When ranking this Counter-Strike 2 FAMAS skins Tier List, we're going to focus exclusively on aesthetics. The only time you'll ever see someone using a CS2 skin they don't like the look of is when they receive it in a weekly drop. If someone is purchasing a skin from the Steam Marketplace, it's fair to suggest that they're searching for a cool-looking item above all else.

As with the rest of our Counter-Strike 2 skin Tier Lists, we won't consider price when ranking these FAMAS skins. While we've included an estimated cost based on Steam Marketplace transactions for the Factory New versions of each, it likely won't come into consideration when you're choosing a new skin to buy. Luckily, the FAMAS skins never veer into the realm of ridiculous, compared to other weapons like the CS2 AK-47.

S Tier

• Commemoration ($16)
• Roll Cage ($15)
• ZX Spectron ($7)

A Tier

• Djinn ($12)
• Eye of Athena ($15)
• Mecha Industries ($8)
• Pulse ($8)
• Valence ($6.80)
• Waters of Nephthys ($100)

B Tier

• Afterimage ($52)
• Dark Water ($17)
• Doomkitty ($6.50)
• Meltdown ($47)
• Neural Net ($0.80)
• Night Borre ($8.50)
• Prime Conspiracy ($100)
• Rapid Eye Movement ($8)
• Styx ($10)
• Teardown ($0.60)

C Tier

• CaliCamo ($5)
• Colony ($0.10)
• Contrast Spray ($75)
• Crypsis ($0.55)
• Cyanospatter ($0.70)
• Decommissioned ($0.60)
• Default ($0)
• Faulty Wiring ($1)
• Hexane ($7)
• Macabre ($4.40)
• Meow 36 ($0.30)
• Sergeant ($6)
• Spitfire ($225)
• Sundown ($140)
• Survivor Z ($0.70)

While the FAMAS skins are pretty reasonable in general, you can bring them down even further by considering a worse wear rating. Our prices are reflective of the Factory New versions of each skin, but you might like the look of each in Minimal Wear, Field-Tested, Well-Worn, and Battle-Scarred instead. Some players aren't at all fussed about their Counter-Strike 2 skins looking picture-perfect, which will naturally give you better prices on the Steam Marketplace.

The post Counter-Strike 2 FAMAS skins Tier List: All CS2 FAMAS skins, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Counter-Strike 2's AWP is the weapon of choice for the best players in the game. At $4750, it's among the most expensive CS2 guns to bring onto the server, but as a one-hit kill, it's also one of the deadliest.

Even if you're someone who rarely picks up the AWP in Counter-Strike 2, it's worth having a fresh skin in your loadout. You never know when you'll need to drop one over to your teammate when they're desperate to play with the gun affectionately nicknamed "the Big Green."

Counter-Strike 2 AWP Skins Tier List

There are a total of 41 AWP skins in Counter-Strike 2. Because it's one of the most powerful and popular guns in the game, its skins are among the most in-demand you can find on the market. Sadly, this means many of them don't come cheap.

However, price isn't a factor in our Counter-Strike 2 AWP skins Tier List. Instead, we're just considering how cool each skin looks in-game. After all, whether you can afford every AWP skin in the game or not, you're always going to buy a skin you like the look of. No one (we hope) is spending thousands on skins that they don't actually like the look of, so we think it's the only thing that should matter when it comes to creating an AWP skins Tier List. The S and A Tier skins are the must-haves, while the B and C Tiers are the ones you should think twice about unless you really like them.

While the cost doesn't come into the equation for rankings, we have included an approximate price based on the recent Steam Marketplace transactions of these skins. There are a couple of highlighted exceptions, as their prices are so high that no one trades them on Steam. Yes, all of the S Tier AWP skins look amazing, but only you know which ones you're willing to pay the big bucks for.

S Tier

• Asiimov ($165)
• Atheris ($15)
• Chromatic Aberration ($19)
• Dragon Lore ($11,000 on third-party sites, rarely sold on Steam)
• Gungnir ($12,000 on third-party sites, rarely sold on Steam)
• Fade ($1450)
• Man-o'-war ($40)
• Redline ($85)
• Wildfire ($160)

A Tier

• Black Nile ($5.50)
• Chrome Cannon ($160)
• Containment Breach ($480)
• Desert Hydra ($2500 on third-party sites, rarely sold on Steam)
• Duality ($12.50)
• Fever Dream ($15)
• Hyper Beast ($110)
• Medusa ($2000)
• Neo-Noir ($38)
• Oni Taiji ($550)
• The Prince ($3500 on third-party sites, rarely sold on Steam)

B Tier

• Acheron ($1.80)
• Capillary ($2.30)
• Elite Build ($35)
• Exoskeleton ($10)
• Lightning Strike ($700)
• Mortis ($8)
• Phobos ($2.10)
• POP AWP ($9)
• Silk Tiger ($300)
• Sun in Leo ($40)
• Worm God ($3)

C Tier

• BOOM ($400)
• Corticera ($41)
• Default ($0)
• Electric Hive ($65)
• Graphite ($165)
• PAW ($4.50)
• Pink DDPAT ($110)
• Pit Viper ($0.60)
• Safari Mesh ($1)
• Snake Camo ($275)

As with any Counter-Strike 2 skin, you can bring down the price of these options by picking up a lower wear rating. With any Factory New skin, you're getting the best appearance, but you're paying a premium as a result. Instead, make sure you also look at the prices of the Minimal Wear, Field-Tested, Well-Worn, and Battle-Scarred versions of each skin. If you're not too fussed about having a perfect CS2 skin, this could prove a more cost-effective option for you.

The post Counter-Strike 2 AWP skins Tier List: All CS2 AWP skins, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

The Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 beta is now live on early access, and it's the first glimpse of what's to come in October.

Currently available to those with beta codes/Game Pass membership/Vault Edition, players can try out some of the maps and game modes that will be available in the full launch. Despite having some obvious limitations, the beta has been a good experience for many. You can use custom loadouts once unlocked to personalize your in-game experience further.

How to unlock custom loadouts in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 beta?

To build your personalized loadouts, you'll have to reach a certain level. Currently, you'll need to be at level 4 to unlock the ability to make custom loadouts. Reaching level 4 isn't a challenging task, as a few rounds will get you there. The rate of progression will depend on how well/poorly you're doing in those games.

Once unlocked, you can avail up to ten different loadouts to pick from during a game. It's a game-changer for sure, compared to the limited number of options you have at the beginning.

How to use custom loadouts in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 beta?

Once a custom loadout is available, you can tweak the following aspects:

• Primary Weapon
• Secondary Weapon
• Melee Weapon
• Tactical Equipment
• Lethal Equipment
• Field Upgrade
• Perks
• Combat Specialty
• Wildcard

Once you have unlocked the loadouts, you'll still need to keep grinding and leveling up. The beginner weapons have their limitations, and that will remain even when you build your loadouts. As you level up, you'll unlock new guns, and they just feel better to use. As you get the ability to make your own loadouts, these guns are only going to have a greater impact across the different game modes.

The post How to unlock and use custom loadouts in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 beta appeared first on Destructoid.

In Counter-Strike 2, the M4A4 is one of the main rifles on the CT side. Although it's usually seen as a less popular alternative to the M4A1-S, the M4A4 can still hold its own on the server.

Like every gun in CS2, the M4A4 has tons of popular skins you can use to make your weapon stand out from the crowd. These skins range from just a few cents to thousands of dollars for this powerful Counter-Strike 2 weapon. Of course, you don't have to spend that much to get a cool skin, but the option is there for those who can afford it.

Counter-Strike 2 M4A4 Skins Tier List

If you've got the M4A4 in your Counter-Strike 2 loadout, chances are you'll use it extensively on the CT side. With 41 M4A4 skins to choose from, you're spoiled for choice when it comes to freshening up your inventory with some of the most popular CS2 skins on the market.

Our primary deciding factor for each skin on this list is purely aesthetics. When you're picking a new M4A4 skin for your loadout, we're betting that appearance is the most important consideration for you, making it only right to do the same in our Counter-Strike 2 M4A4 skins Tier List.

For each skin, we've included an approximate price based on each one's recent Steam transactions. Although the market is forever changing, this should give you a decent estimate of how much you can expect to pay for the Factory New versions of these Counter-Strike 2 skins. The only exception here is the M4A4 Howl, arguably the rarest CS2 weapon skin ever, thanks to its removal from cases in 2014. We'll use third-party market prices for that one.

S Tier

• Buzz Kill ($38)
• Howl (Unavailable on Steam; approximate market price is $6000)
• Temukau ($130)
• The Emperor ($145)

A Tier

• Asiimov ($185)
• Cyber Security ($50)
• Desolate Space ($25)
• Eye of Horus ($700)
• In Living Color ($34)
• Neo-Noir ($35)
• Poseidon ($1550)
• Royal Paladin ($95)
• Spider Lily ($17)
• The Coalition ($370)

B Tier

• 龍王 (Dragon King) ($28)
• Bullet Rain ($55)
• Daybreak ($350)
• Evil Daimyo ($6)
• Hellfire ($65)
• Magnesium ($3)
• Red DDPAT ($90)
• The Battlestar ($11)
• Tooth Fairy ($9)
• Tornado ($190)

C Tier

• Converter ($0.70)
• Dark Blossom ($32)
• Default ($0)
• Desert Storm ($50)
• Desert Strike ($9.50)
• Etch Lord ($2.90)
• Faded Zebra ($25)
• Global Offensive ($30)
• Griffin ($5.50)
• Jungle Tiger ($90)
• Mainframe ($0.10)
• Modern Hunter ($320)
• Poly Mag ($0.40)
• Radiation Hazard ($700)
• Urban DDPAT ($2.80)
• X-Ray ($20)
• Zirka ($40)

If you're looking for some of these skins but don't want to pay their full market value, you should consider picking them up at a worse wear rating. Our prices are based on Factory New versions of each skin, but they're also available in Minimal Wear, Field-Tested, Well-Worn, and Battle-Scarred, too. Sometimes, the difference between Factory New and Minimal Wear versions of a skin can be huge, as people pay a premium for perfection regarding CS2 wear ratings.

The post Counter-Strike 2 M4A4 skins Tier List: All CS2 M4A4 skins, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

The Glock-18 is Counter-Strike 2's default T side pistol and the perfect foil to the CT side's USP-S. If you're playing the game, you'll be using this at some point - it's as simple as that.

While using the Glock-18, you don't want to be left with a plain old pistol. That's where CS2 skins come in. If you take a look at the Steam Marketplace, there are 43 Glock-18 skins to choose from in Counter-Strike 2, with prices ranging anywhere from pocket change to thousands of dollars. What's a fresh coat of paint worth to you? That's for you to decide.

Counter-Strike 2 Glock-18 Skins Tier List

Because players are essentially forced to use the Glock-18 on the T side in Counter-Strike 2, it is one of the most popular weapons for purchasing shiny new skins. If you're using it, you might as well look good while doing so.

This brings us to our CS2 Glock-18 skins Tier List. Our list is ranked exclusively by aesthetics because no one wants to rock a Glock-18 that doesn't bring the heat. Some players will use skins simply because they have them sitting in their inventory from weekly rewards, but if you're consciously buying one from the Steam Marketplace, you're going to want to know which ones look the coolest.

We've also included the current price you can expect to pay for the Factory New versions of each Counter-Strike 2 Glock-18 skin right now from the Steam Marketplace. These prices are up and down daily, but it should provide a ballpark figure to help you determine what's worth picking up. Compared to some weapons like the AK-47, the average price of Glock-18 skins in CS2 isn't too eye-watering, although there are still a couple that will make your wallet weep.

S Tier

• Candy Apple ($0.65)
• Fade ($1850)
• Gamma Doppler ($75)
• Reactor ($12)
• Vogue ($8.50)

A Tier

• Blue Fissure ($19)
• Bullet Queen ($42)
• Grinder ($2.20)
• High Beam ($0.10)
• Ironwork ($1.50)
• Moonrise ($1.70)
• Neo-Noir ($60)
• Nuclear Garden ($6)
• Off World ($0.70)
• Ramese's Reach ($15)
• Twilight Galaxy ($265)

B Tier

• Block-18 ($2.60)
• Brass ($85)
• Bunsen Burner ($1.50)
• Dragon Tattoo ($100)
• Groundwater ($80)
• Night ($45)
• Pink DDPAT ($90)
• Royal Legion ($7.50)
• Sacrifice ($1)
• Snack Attack ($20)
• Synth Leaf ($500)
• Umbral Rabbit ($1.75)
• Water Elemental ($12.50)

C Tier

• Catacombs ($0.60)
• Clear Polymer ($1)
• Death Rattle ($)
• Default ($0)
• Franklin ($50)
• Oxide Blaze ($0.35)
• Red Tire ($4)
• Sand Dune ($180)
• Steel Disruption ($4)
• Warhawk ($0.90)
• Wasteland Rebel ($6)
• Weasel ($2.20)
• Winterized ($0.25)
• Wraiths ($1.30)

While all Glock-18 skins in Counter-Strike 2 naturally look better with a Factory New wear rating, you can also pick up the above skins in Minimal Wear, Field-Tested, Well-Worn, and Battle-Scarred, which goes a long way to making each one affordable. The Sand Dune is a perfect example of this - while the Factory New version costs around $180 on the Steam Marketplace, you can grab its Battle-Scarred version for as little as $5. Compromise could be good, and your wallet might thank you for it.

The post Counter-Strike 2 Glock-18 skins Tier List: All CS2 Glock-18 skins, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

In Counter-Strike 2, the M4A1-S is by far the most popular rifle on the CT side. It's cheaper than the M4A4, more powerful than the FAMAS, and significantly, it's silenced, making it a vital asset for winning games of CS2.

Like any weapon in the game, the M4A1-S has a bunch of skins. You can use these skins to give your M4A1-S a fresh coat of paint by opening CS2 cases or purchasing them from the Steam Marketplace. With skins ranging anywhere from a few cents to thousands of dollars, you've got a wide range of options here. You choose how much you want to invest in a shiny new M4A1-S skin in Counter-Strike 2.

Counter-Strike 2 M4A1-S Skins Tier List

Since the M4A1-S is the CT side equivalent of the CS2 AK-47, it features many of the most popular skins in the entire game. Your opponents won't know what hit them when you're dunking on them with a shiny new M4 skin.

We're ranking purely on appearance to put these M4A1-S skins into Tiers. If you're buying Counter-Strike 2 skins, this will almost certainly be your main factor above everything else. After all, why bother buying a skin if you don't like the look of it in-game?

Alongside each entry into our CS2 M4A1-S skins Tier List, we've also included an approximate price, as per the recent transactions for the Factory New version of each skin on the Steam Marketplace. While you can technically purchase Counter-Strike 2 skins on third-party marketplaces, most players will be buying from the Steam Marketplace, so this seems like the fairest way to compare the prices. These prices are frequently changing, so we're not considering it as a factor when ranking each M4A1-S skin. Still, knowing how much each could potentially set you back is good.

S Tier

• Blue Phosphor ($800)
• Decimator ($40)
• Hot Rod ($1200)
• Nightmare ($45)
• Printstream ($550)

A Tier

• Black Lotus ($28)
• Chantico's Fire ($130)
• Emphorosaur-S ($3)
• Golden Coil ($190)
• Hyper Beast ($145)
• Icarus Fell ($650)
• Imminent Danger ($1800)
• Knight ($1800)

B Tier

• Atomic Alloy ($100)
• Basilisk ($12)
• Cyrex ($45)
• Dark Water ($90)
• Leaded Glass ($12)
• Master Piece ($480)
• Mecha Industries ($105)
• Nitro ($5)
• Player Two ($120)
• Welcome to the Jungle ($1800)

C Tier

• Blood Tiger ($7)
• Boreal Forest ($1.80)
• Briefing ($11)
• Bright Water ($28)
• Control Panel ($50)
• Default ($0)
• Flashback ($3)
• Fizzy POP ($2.50)
• Guardian ($30)
• Moss Quartz ($70)
• Mud-Spec ($1)
• Night Terror ($1.40)
• VariCamo ($1.10)

While some of these Counter-Strike 2 M4A1-S skins may be out of your price range, remember that you can also purchase them at a lower wear rating. The above prices reflect Factory New versions of each skin, although you can also grab them in Minimal Wear, Field-Tested, Well-Worn, and Battle-Scarred. They'll look worse but won't burn as big a hole in your pocket.

The post Counter-Strike 2 M4A1-S skins Tier List: All CS2 M4A1-S skins, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Like other extraction shooters, Arena Breakout: Infinite offers a plethora of weapon options to choose from. The game is still in early access, meaning more is yet to come upon its final release. But which weapons have made it to the game so far?

Arena Breakout: Infinite is the latest free-to-play extraction shooter from Morefun Studios that's out in early access right now. It's confirmed to be released fully at the end of 2024. If you have played Escape from Tarkov or Delta Force, you'll feel quite familiar with this game.

It goes without saying, but Arena Breakout: Infinite is a hardcore shooter. Your loadouts will have multiple options to choose from, such as Assualt Rifles, Submachine Guns, Marksman Rifles, Pistols, and more. Let's now take a look at all Arena Breakout: Infinite weapons.

All Assault Rifles

There are 13 Assault Rifles present in Arena Breakout: Infinite Early Access. Here's a list of all of them:

• AKM
• M4A1
• FAL
• AK-102
• AK-74N
• AK-74U
• F2000
• AR-57
• ACE31
• AEK
• SCAR-L
• T951

ARs are the staple weapons that come with a great balance of fire rate and damage. You must carry them in your loadouts, as they can be lethal at any range.

All Submachine Guns

There are 10 SMGs to choose from in Arena Breakout: Infinite Early Access:

• MP5
• MPX
• P90
• Uzi
• UMP45
• MAC-10
• M3A1
• MP 40
• MPF 45
• T85

Unlike ARs, SMGs are not efficient at every range. They are perfect for close to medium-range combat, thanks to their high rates of fire and decent magazine sizes.

All Marksman Rifles

In Early Access, there are three Marksman Rifle options:

• SVDS
• VSS
• M110

Marksman Rifles are a great choice for long-range combat and can take someone down with just a few bullets.

All Bolt-Action Rifles

There are three Bolt-Action Rifles to choose from:

• Mosin
• SJ16
• M24

Bolt-action rifles are like snipers, and are the ideal weapon choice for long-range combat. These weapons are considered marginally superior to the Marksman Rifles.

All Light Machine Guns

Unlike other weapons, there's only one LMG available:

• RPK-16

If you want to use a weapon that can fire non-stop and packs a punch similar to ARs, then the Light Machine Gun is what you should go for.

All Shotguns

You can choose from four Shotguns:

• M870
• MP-133
• S12K
• SPR310

Shotguns are the best weapons to use when enemies are up close. You can easily take out foes in one blast up-close, but they'll be ineffective in long-range combat.

All Carbines

There are six Carbines in early access:

• SA85M
• SKS
• M14
• Mini14
• BM59
• M16

Carbines are ideal for both medium and long-range combat. Sure, you can even use them as an alternative to Marksman Rifles, provided you're using a powerful loadout.

All Pistols

Pistols have a wider variety with a total of nine available during early access:

• M9A3
• G18C
• Deagle
• T54
• M1911
• MP9
• G-Deagle
• T05
• CZ 52

Pistols are the perfect sidearms for intense situations. Running out of ammo on your primary but the enemy is really low on health? Flip a Pistol out and finish them off.

The post All weapons in Arena Breakout: Infinite Early Access appeared first on Destructoid.

Season 12 of Overwatch 2 is themed heavily around Egyptian gods, but Egyptian heroes like Ana and Pharah aren't getting the spotlight. This season's Mythic Skin, based on Anubis, is going to Reaper.

On the Overwatch subreddit, players were shocked by the decision to give Reaper a skin based off of Anubis over Ramattra, given Ramattra's early design concepts. In a 2017 video, Blizzard shared the concept that ultimately led to Ramattra; an Omnic, wearing Egyptian-styled garb.

Another Developer Update from Blizzard briefly goes over the team's decision to give Reaper the Anubis skin. Lead Concept Artist, Morten Skaalvik, mentions that a meeting was held to discuss who the Mythic Skin should go to. Skaalvik says that the meeting was concluded quickly as everyone had "instantly agreed it needed to be Reaper."

The reasoning behind this decision stems from Reaper being closely associated with death and Anubis being the Egyptian god of death. While the logic behind this decision is fair, players on Twitter/X agree that the skin should have gone to Ramattra.

For additional salt in the wounds, it's still unclear if Ramattra will receive any new skins in the upcoming season. The trailer for Season 12 reveals a variety of skins as part of the Battle Pass and skins that will be coming to the shop. Unfortunately, no new skins were shown off for the leader of Null Sector.

However, Ramattra isn't the only hero getting the short end of the stick. Despite this season's theme, Egyptian heroes Ana and Pharah only had one skin each revealed in the Season 12 trailer. The Pharah skin won't even be available in the Battle Pass, instead being obtained from the shop. Meanwhile, Mercy has received two additional skins set to appear in the shop.

Some players on the Overwatch subreddit have become fed up with the consistent stream of Mercy skins. Especially since this season is brimming with potential for Ana, Pharah, Ramattra, and Venture. Even though they don't have any ties to Egyptian mythology, Venture's job as an archaeologist could have led to some skins incorporating ancient Egyptian artifacts.

The post Overwatch 2 fans feel frustrated with Season 12’s skin choices appeared first on Destructoid.

If you think that "point and shoot" is all there is to Counter-Strike 2, then you're sorely mistaken. The game also has a massive subculture surrounding skins, where players can open cases to get a fresh coat of paint for their CS2 weapons.

Not all skins are created equal. Some will only cost a couple of cents - literally loose change you can find down the bottom of your couch. Others (often knives) will see you choose between the skin and the downpayment on a new house. There are definitely a few Counter-Strike 2's AK-47 skins that will leave your jaw dropped.

Counter-Strike 2 AK-47 Skins Tier List

As the best T-side rifle in Counter-Strike 2, AK-47 skins are among the most popular in the entire game. Dropping 30 kills to get the win while showing off your flashy AK just hits differently, which is why so many players are obsessed with finding the perfect skin for their rifles.

This is where our CS2 AK-47 skins Tier List comes in. We've ranked each AK-47 skin purely by how cool it looks in-game, so you know the first place to start if you're planning on refreshing your inventory. S Tier skins are the must-haves for collectors, while C Tiers can probably be skipped unless you're looking for a starter skin to kick off your collection. With 47 skins in total, you're spoiled for choice, regardless of your pick.

While we're not considering the price of these CS2 AK-47 skins of this Tier List, we've included an approximate based on the recent Steam Marketplace transactions for Factory New (or highest float, if FN isn't available) versions of each skin. Remember, these prices fluctuate on a daily basis, so they could be slightly different when you're reading this. Some AK-47 skins cost upwards of thousands of dollars, and we get that not every player is going to be able to afford this kind of outlay. It's definitely a crucial factor worth considering if you're choosing between a brand-new Counter-Strike 2 skin!

S Tier

• Asiimov ($240)
• Bloodsport ($170)
• Case Hardened ($450)
• Fuel Injector ($540)
• Gold Arabesque ($2100)
• Inheritance ($200)
• Slate ($11)
• Redline ($130)

A Tier

• Head Shot ($65)
• Hydroponic ($1800)
• Ice Coaled ($19)
• Legion of Anubis ($18)
• Neon Rider ($155)
• Nightwish ($70)
• Orbit Mk01 ($27)
• Wild Lotus ($13,000)

B Tier

• Baroque Purple ($18)
• Cartel ($28)
• Fire Serpent ($2000)
• Frontside Misty ($80)
• Jet Set ($1200)
• Leet Museo ($90)
• Neon Revolution ($90)
• Panthera onca ($350)
• Red Laminate ($350)
• The Empress ($160)
• Vulcan ($1000)
• X-Ray ($1980)

C Tier

• Aquamarine Revenge ($125)
• Black Laminate ($165)
• Blue Laminate ($15)
• Default ($0)
• Elite Build ($7)
• Emerald Pinstripe ($11)
• First Class ($200)
• Green Laminate ($23)
• Jaguar ($215)
• Jungle Spray ($150)
• Phantom Disruptor ($12)
• Point Disarray ($35)
• Predator ($75)
• Rat Rod ($12.50)
• Safari Mesh ($2.50)
• Safety Net ($7)
• Steel Delta ($3)
• Unchartered ($1.40)
• Wasteland Rebel ($260)

The post Counter-Strike 2 AK-47 skins Tier List: All CS2 AK-47 skins, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Halo Infinite's campaign is arguably the best in years. Plenty would have it down as 343 Industries' best effort to date. It was the game that took the franchise's single-player in a bold new direction, embracing an open-world campaign for the first time. It was an interesting experiment, one that makes Halo Infinite one of the most unique games in the series.

In this open world set on Installation 07, players can still complete a series of traditional campaign missions. These are separated by area, so once you've finished one location, you must move to the next to unlock the next set of missions.

Halo Infinite Campaign Missions Tier List

Halo Infinite features a total of 16 campaign missions spread across seven different areas. Despite the big change in approach, this still very much feels like a Halo campaign. You've got Master Chief facing hordes of Covenant (now the Banished) - what more could you want? Halo Infinite's campaign missions feel like a love letter to the franchise. You have levels like The Road, which feels like a vehicle mission pulled straight from the previous games in the series. Then, there are missions like Pelican Down, which creates a sense of urgency unlike anything else.

Most importantly, Halo Infinite doesn't forget to make its campaign missions fun. You can hit the right notes to recreate that classic Halo feeling all you want, but if it isn't actually fun to play, then it doesn't matter. Our Tier List here considers the fun factor above all else. S Tier missions are the cream of the crop, the levels you can replay 10 times over and have a blast. Moving down, C Tier levels are the ones you finish begrudgingly during repeat playthroughs, sighing deeply as you wait for the good stuff. Luckily, Halo Infinite doesn't have too much of that kind of thing.

S Tier

• House of Reckoning
• Pelican Down
• The Road
• The Tower

A Tier

• Conservatory
• Repository
• Silent Auditorium
• The Command Spire
• Warship Gbraakon

B Tier

• Excavation Site
• Foundation
• Nexus
• Outpost Tremonius
• The Sequence

C Tier

• Recovery
• Spire

Halo Infinite Campaign Side Missions Tier List

With Halo Infinite taking a more open-world approach, 343 Industries was able to add side missions to the franchise's mainline games for the first time ever. Love or hate these side missions, you can't deny they were a fun change of pace from the main campaign.

All of the seven side missions in Halo Infinite involve liberating some Banished outposts, although the objectives change each time. It's got a hint of the Ubisoft formula about it, but it works well in Infinite's sandbox. The game is at its best when chaos reigns, and these side missions provide that in spades.

S Tier

• Forge of Teash
• Ransom Keep

A Tier

• Annex Ridge
• Armory of Reckoning
• Redoubt of Sundering

B Tier

• Horn of Abolition

C Tier

• Riven Gate

The post Halo Infinite missions Tier List: All Campaign missions, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is one of the most anticipated games coming out this year thanks to its apparent innovations to the long-running series. With an open beta on the way, all interested players will get to try it, so here's how you can gain access to it yourself.

How to get in the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Beta

The Black Ops 6 open beta is open to all players once it starts, but not initially. The game features an Early Access period that will allow people who pre-order the game or have a qualifying active Xbox Game Pass subscription to play it early.

If you're looking to play the beta for Black Ops 6 early, simply pre-order any Digital Edition through your platform's digital storefront. You can also subscribe to Xbox Game Pass (Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass PC, Game Pass Console). Both methods will automatically flag your account for early open beta access, and you'll be able to log into the Early Access open beta as soon as it opens.

Alternatively, you can pre-purchase the game at any physical retailer to receive a redemption code. This code, once entered and redeemed, will also flag you for access to the Early Access Open Beta.

For players interested in playing the open beta without a cost attached, you will be able to play once the Early Access period for the open beta has concluded. Once it has, you'll be able to log into the beta freely, without any extra steps.

When can you play the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Open Beta?

The open beta officially begins on August 30 and will run until September 9. The Early Access period begins August 30 until September 4. All players, regardless of purchase status, will be able to play in the Open Beta from September 4 until its conclusion on September 9.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 officially launches worldwide on October 25 for the Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC.

The post How to get into the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Open Beta appeared first on Destructoid.

A new mod for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered is about to bring Modern Warfare 2's iconic multiplayer experience back to life, taking you on a 2009-fueled nostalgia trip to the good ole days of CoD.

If you were lucky enough to remember Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 in its heyday, you probably remember it as one of the series’ high points. Upon the release of the 2020 remaster, it was shocking that multiplayer was no longer included. Sure, the single-player campaign was great, but we all know that the multiplayer is what we really wanted. Four years later, the community's collective wishes have been granted thanks to H2M Mod.

You might have seen a couple of posts from prominent Call of Duty creators over the last few days showing gameplay from H2M Mod. If you're a fan of Modern Warfare 2, it no doubt caught your attention. Using 2017's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered, the H2M Mod team has managed to bring back that classic MW2 experience in the new engine. It's 2009 all over again - just a little shinier this time around.

The experience won't be exactly as you remember it. It'll be better, in fact. Yes, you'll have access to all of Modern Warfare 2's weapons, maps, killstreaks, and progression, but there's more going on here. All of the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered maps are also included, and some of the MW2 campaign maps have been repurposed for multiplayer, too. Several fan-favorite weapons from Modern Warfare Remastered make a return, giving you the best of both worlds, and there are even a few new camos to unlock made specifically for this mod.

The mod has caused waves within the CoD scene over the last few days, with a release date for the mod set for August 16. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered is currently among the top-selling games on Steam, perhaps no coincidence there as gamers gear up for the ultimate trip down memory lane.

The post The CoD: Modern Warfare 2 Remastered mod soon makes classic 2009 multiplayer lobbies better than ever appeared first on Destructoid.

The act of simply opening Counter-Strike 2 cases is pretty much an entire subculture surrounding the game at this point. There's nothing quite like the thrill of opening a case and seeing all of the expensive items you could have had agonizingly scroll past, before eventually landing on something worth a couple of cents.

If nothing else, it's a fun way to burn a few bucks. Best case scenario, you get one of those sweet Counter-Strike 2 knives. There are a couple of ways you can get these CS2 cases in-game to open to your heart's content.

Buy Counter-Strike 2 cases on Steam Marketplace

The most common way that players will get Counter-Strike 2 cases is by purchasing them on the Steam Marketplace. There, gamers can trade their items for a fee. With so many different CS2 cases to choose from, each has a different price. Some will set you back a few cents, while others cost upwards of hundreds of dollars.

To get CS2 cases through the Steam Marketplace, follow along with these steps:

• On Steam, hover over the "Community" tab before pressing "Market"
• On the right side of the page, under the "Browse by Game" tab, select "Counter-Strike 2"
• Search for the word "case" in the search bar, or filter the item type by "Containers" under the advanced options
• Select the Counter-Strike 2 case you want, and select the quantity before purchasing

After this, you'll have your CS2 cases in-game automatically. However, you'll still need to buy a key for each one. Keys cost $2.50 each in Counter-Strike 2, so it's a cost that can rack up quite fast. You can purchase these keys directly in-game - there's no need to go through the Steam Marketplace here.

Earn free Counter-Strike 2 cases

Don't want to torch your wallet opening CS2 cases? We've got you. By playing Counter-Strike 2, you can earn a free case once a week via your weekly care package. The only kicker is that you must have a Prime account, which currently costs $14.99. Playing a few matches will earn you enough XP to unlock the weekly drop, where you'll receive a random case from one of the current Prime cases. These are:

• Kilowatt Case
• Revolution Case
• Recoil Case
• Dreams & Nightmares Case
• Snakebite Case
• Fracture Case

Because millions of players earn these CS2 cases weekly, they're among the cheapest on the market. You've still got to buy a key for them too, so you're not totally off the hook. Still, if you're not one for spending a ton of money on Counter-Strike 2 cases, this might be the route for you.

If opening cases isn't for you, you can even sell your free ones on the Steam Marketplace to others. After a while, you could use that cash to buy something else on Steam entirely.

The post How to get cases in Counter-Strike 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

Spectre Divide is a 3v3 tactical shooter game that was developed by Mountaintop Studios. Not only that, this game has also collaborated with Michael "Shroud" Grzesiek, popularly known for his Twitch streams.

Not only that, it also brings a new element called 'Duality' in which you can control two characters in real-time in a match. This element helps you defend two areas simultaneously, cover for yourself, and even do a kill trade.

Is Spectre Divide free-to-play?

Yes, Spectre Divide is a free-to-play game. You can download it for free once it is available on Steam. But if you want to play the game now, you can register for a chance at the closed beta on the official Steam page. The closed beta servers will open from August 13, 2024, to August 21, 2024.

The closed beta will be only available for PCs with North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific servers. Like any other closed beta, all account progress on the beta program will not carry over to the final version of the game.

What are the minimum PC requirements for Spectre Divide?

Spectre Divide does not have heavy graphics, so you can easily play on your low-end laptop or PC. Here are the minimum PC requirements for Spectre Divide:

Minimum

It requires a 64-bit processor and operating system, and an SSD is recommended.
OS: Windows 10 Home
Processor: Intel Core i5 (4th Generation or newer) OR AMD Ryzen 5
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: Nvidia GTX 1080-Ti OR AMD RX 6700-XT
DirectX: Version 11
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 20 GB available space

Recommended

It requires a 64-bit processor and an operating system.

The post Spectre Divide: is it free-to-play? appeared first on Destructoid.

There's plenty of buzz surrounding Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 as it creeps closer to its release, and understandably so. Fans of the Zombies mode had it especially good recently with the release of a trailer showcasing an intro cinematic and snippets of gameplay for one of the game's launch maps, Terminus.

That trailer made it immediately apparent who the real big bad of the ongoing Dark Aether storyline is, and for longtime Zombies players, it's both a surprise and not much of a surprise at all who's pulling the strings. After being teased previously in Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War, Dr. Edward "Eddie" Richtofen (Nolan North) stands revealed as the arc's bad guy, and he has a pretty massive target on his back.

As seen in the Terminus trailer, his name is scribbled on Grigori Weaver's (Gene Farber) prison cell wall, indicating that he has some serious revenge coming his way. William Peck (Zeke Alton) also expresses interest in killing Richtofen for stealing his life's work.

We'll have to wait and see if he appears in the flesh, but how is the maniacal German scientist back in the Zombies spotlight? Ahead of the release of Black Ops 6, let's take a trip down memory lane to discuss what became of Richtofen by the end of Black Ops 4.

Richtofen's role in the Dark Aether storyline

To understand Richtofen's place in the Dark Aether saga, we have to go back to the end of the Aether story in Black Ops 4. To sum up the past decade or so, everything in the multiverse is enveloped by the Dark Aether, a twisted, corrupted version of the real world. Our main Zombies crew in their Primis and Ultimis forms are killed, and the cycle they'd been trapped in for so long is destroyed. All that remains of this multiverse in the new one born out of it are Samantha Maxis (Julie Nathanson) and a young Eddie from another dimension. They walk hand in hand to the new world, though they don't live peaceful lives by any means as they become adults.

While Samantha grows up to become a military operative and joins the front lines against the Dark Aether's invading forces, Eddie's story takes a more surprising turn. The specifics of his childhood remain unknown, but as an adult, he serves as the Director of the Requiem, which is a unit of the Central Intelligence Agency that monitors Dark Aether activity. Though she doesn't know it, as revealed in Black Ops: Cold War, Richtofen is her boss and later her interrogator as he tries to unlock her powers after she's exposed to the Dark Aether. He also oversees the arrests of her companions, hence why they're in prison before the events of Terminus.

What is Richtofen's latest scheme?

This brings us to Black Ops 6, where Requiem has been disbanded, and Richtofen seems to have given up his position at the CIA. For now, all we can do is least speculate as to what he's been up to and how Eddie went from an innocent child to a ruthless government figure with no regard for the lives of others.

At the heart of whatever he's concocting is his fascination with the Dark Aether. Could it be that he simply wants to harness its power for himself, much like how the previous Richtofen took an interest in the power of the Aether? Or, is he more so a pawn in a larger game? Richtofen was previously influenced by the Apothicons and the Shadowman (Robert Picardo) to do their bidding, so maybe they or another malevolent entity is swaying Eddie for an unknown end.

Then again, since he has memories of the previous multiverse, unlike Samantha, maybe he wants to resurrect it and those within it, believing her Dark Aether abilities could be the key to making that happen. He might want to show her what they lost so she contributes to his grand plan to restore the banished multiverse.

Are more Zombies legacy characters on the way?

With Richtofen making a comeback, some wonder if other legacy Zombies characters could emerge in Black Ops 6 and beyond. Seeing as Richtofen's fellow Zombies icons Tank Dempsey (Steve Blum), Nikolai Belinski (Fred Tatasciore), and Takeo Masaki (Tom Kane) are all dead, they're not likely to come back. On the other hand, there is one tenured Zombies crew that could theoretically pop up during the Dark Aether saga.

The Victis crew, known colloquially as the TranZit crew since that was their debut map, was introduced in Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. Abigail "Misty" Briarton (Stephanie Lemelin), Samuel Stuhlinger (David Boat), Russman (Keith Szarabajka), and Marlton Johnson (Scott Menville) make it all the way to Black Ops 4, helping bring an end to the multiverse and kickstart the new world seen in Black Ops: Cold War and Black Ops 6.

They don't necessarily die at the end of Tag der Toten, simply being sent off to the Dark Aether. While it's entirely likely they were killed or went insane while there, there's a slim chance they're still alive, waiting for a chance to help out once again.

If they or others don't come back, though, at least longtime fans can spend some time with Richtofen, the twisted lynchpin of the entire Zombies game mode, yet again.

The post What the return of Edward Richtofen could mean for Zombies in Call of Duty Black Ops 6 appeared first on Destructoid.

The JAK Slash is the Aftermarket part unlock for Week 3 of MW3 Season 5. Here's what you need to do to unlock it.

How to get the JAK Slash Aftermarket attachment in Modern Warfare 3 Season 5

In order to unlock the JAK Slash, you'll first need to complete any five of the Weekly Challenges available to you. This can be done via playing MW3's Multiplayer, Zombies, or Battle Royale modes. Each mode has a set of different challenges that you can pursue for the unlock. These challenges all count toward the required five, regardless of the game mode.

For the JAK Slash, I recommend completing all the necessary challenges in MW3's Multiplayer mode, as the challenges there are super fast to finish and easy to do. There are several there that can be completed using one or two gun setups, which is highly convenient if you want to unlock it fast. Here are the ones I focused on.

• Get 25 Operator Hipfire Kills
• Get 20 Operator Kills with Silenced Weapons or Throwing Knives
• Get 10 Operator Hipfire Kills with Battle Rifles
• Get 30 Operator Kills shorty after Sprinting with SMGS
• Get 10 Operator Kills with the Gun-Butt of a Weapon

I used the Sidewinder Battle Rifle and the Supperi 46 SMG for all these challenges, only changing around their attachments as necessary. The process was rather short thanks to the overlap these challenges allow for.

How strong is the JAK Slash in Modern Warfare 3 Season 5?

The JAK Slash attachment functions similarly to how a melee attack works when you have a Throwing Knife equipped in your Lethal slot. This is the largest advantage for the part, considering you don't need to waste a slot equipping a Breacher or Throwing Knife to get a one-hit kill melee attack. The attachment also gives you a small boost to your Movement Speed, Sprint Speed, and Vertical Recoil at the cost of a small reduction to your Hipfire Spread and Tac Stance Spread. The JAK Slash can also, uniquely be equipped as an underbarrel on weapons that normally don't allow attachments of this type.

The largest downside to the JAK Slash is that it takes up your Underbarrel slot. For many weapons, this isn't a big deal, but depending on what you're looking for, this disadvantage may not be worth it. Overall, it's a very solid attachment that will see some use depending on the gun it is equipped on, though I don't expect it to be commonplace in the meta.

The post How to unlock the JAK Slash in MW3 Season 5 appeared first on Destructoid.

The culture around collecting knives in Counter-Strike 2 is fascinating. Players can unbox them from CS2 cases, albeit with an extremely low chance of doing so, or they can buy them directly from the Steam Marketplace.

The kicker is that these knives cost hundreds and, in some cases, thousands of dollars. There are even several skins for each type of Counter-Strike 2 knife, giving them a unique appearance. It's almost a subsection of the game's community at this point, with many players searching for the perfect pattern or wear rating before settling on their perfect knife.

Counter-Strike 2 Knife Tier List

In Counter-Strike 2, knives are purely cosmetic. There's no gameplay benefit to owning a knife, no matter how much you spend, but you will get plenty of compliments if you're rocking something particularly flashy. In such a finely-tuned tactical shooter, it's good that Valve has resisted the urge to adopt pay-to-win mechanics like this.

Instead, each knife has its own distinct look, as well as unique animations that separate one another. In the absence of any gameplay advantages, we're going to be ranking our Counter-Strike 2 knife tier list by aesthetics. Let's be real - these knives are as rare as each other, but there's a reason some are worth far more on the market.

The S Tier CS2 knives are the cream of the crop. Iconic designs that you'll see the esports professionals flaunting on the server. A Tier are the knives still well worth buying, especially if you can find one with an awesome skin. The B Tier options are great starter knives, especially if you've never had one before. For the C Tier Counter-Strike 2 knives, we'd suggest you save your money for something a little cooler, but your own personal taste might lead you to disagree.

S Tier

• Butterfly Knife
• Karambit
• M9 Bayonet

A Tier

• Bayonet
• Huntsman Knife
• Kukri Knife
• Skeleton Knife
• Stiletto Knife
• Talon Knife

B Tier

• Bowie Knife
• Falchion Knife
• Flip Knife
• Nomad Knife
• Paracord Knife
• Shadow Daggers
• Survival Knife

C Tier

• Classic Knife
• Default Knife (CT)
• Default Knife (T)
• Gut Knife
• Navaja Knife
• Ursus Knife

Since the release of Counter-Strike 2, the price of many S Tier knives has shot up with the game's rise in interest. The likes of the Butterfly Knife and Karambit were always fan-favorites back in CS:GO, and now they are even more so.

The A Tier includes the newly-released Kukri Knife, which launched as part of the "A Call To Arms" update. Joining classics like the Skeleton and Talon Knives, it shows that even new additions can be popular in the community.

Some of the CS2 knives in the B Tier actually have the most unique visuals, but their animations aren't quite as impressive as those above them. The Shadow Daggers stand out in this regard, as does the Bowie Knife.

Coming down to C Tier is where you'll find the worst of the Counter-Strike 2 knives. Not particularly visually interesting or unique, the likes of the Gut and Navaja Knives will be passed over by most players. At least they're affordable.

The post Counter-Strike 2 knife Tier List: All CS2 knives, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

In Counter-Strike 2, having the best weapons for every situation is key to success. Whether you're spending big on the AWP or managing your money with an MP9, there's a way to win every single round of Counter-Strike. Valve very rarely shakes up the CS2 weapon meta, meaning it's unlikely you'll see too much change in this Tier List in the future.

We've divided our Counter-Strike 2 weapons Tier List into two separate lists: primaries and secondaries. The nature of the game means it's impossible to directly compare the two. Sure, players using an AK-47 or a Desert Eagle can both win a round all by themselves, but those with the sidearm have much less of a chance of actually making it happen.

Counter-Strike 2 Primary Weapons Tier List

When it comes to the 24 primary weapons in Counter-Strike 2, there's a pretty clearly defined meta that players learn at a very early stage. Both Counter-Terrorists and Terrorists have one meta rifle to save towards, while the most skilled players on both sides drop the big bucks on the AWP.

In Counter-Strike 2, the economy is everything. Occasionally, you'll need to buy cheaper weapons to save for the more expensive ones. Our Tiers here take the economy into consideration, balancing between sheer damage and value for money. At S Tier, these are the must-buy weapons in CS2. A Tier features the guns you can do a ton of damage with, even if they won't necessarily break the bank. Down in the B and C Tiers are the Counter-Strike 2 weapons you should be avoiding, if you have the choice.

S Tier

• AK-47 ($2700)
• AWP ($4750)
• M4A1-S ($2900)
• M4A4 ($3000)

A Tier

• Galil AR ($1800)
• MAC-10 ($1050)
• MP9 ($1200)
• SSG 08 ($1700)
• XM1014 ($2000)

B Tier

• FAMAS ($2050)
• MAG-7 ($1300)
• MP7 ($1500)
• Negev ($1700)
• P90 ($2350)
• UMP-45 ($1200)

C Tier

• AUG ($3300)
• G3SG1 ($5000)
• M249 ($5200)
• MP5-SD ($1500)
• Nova ($1050)
• PP-Bizon ($1400)
• Sawed-Off ($1100)
• SCAR-20 ($5000)
• SG 553 ($3000)

Counter-Strike 2 Secondary Weapons Tier List

While most Counter-Strike 2 players will be using primary weapons round-to-round, the nine secondary weapons also play a huge role in each match. There will always be some rounds where you're forced to play with sidearms, so when the time comes, you want to ensure you're using the correct ones.

Much like the primary weapons, this Tier List is ranked on a cost-to-impact basis. S Tier secondary weapons here can go toe-to-toe with rifles with the right strategy behind them. A Tier is in that same vein, if slightly less effective. B and C Tiers in the secondary weapons category are more if you want a change of pace, rather than anything truly effective at winning a CS2 round. Remember, just because you can use an R8 Revolver, it doesn't mean you should.

S Tier

• Desert Eagle ($700)
• P250 ($300)
• USP-S ($200)

A Tier

• Five-SeveN ($500)
• Glock-18 ($200)
• Tec-9 ($500)

B Tier

• CZ75-Auto ($500)

C Tier

• P2000 ($200)
• R8 Revolver ($600)

The post Counter-Strike 2 weapons Tier List: All CS2 weapons, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Last year, the release of Counter-Strike 2 led to a resurgence in popularity for Valve's tactical first-person shooter franchise. A change of engine and a fresh coat of paint led to many of the game's maps looking fresher than ever.

In Counter-Strike 2, the Active Duty map pool determines the maps used in esports tournaments, as well as what can be played in Premier Mode. The pool is usually updated every 6-12 months, rotating maps in and out to ensure that the game never feels stale.

Current Counter-Strike 2 Active Duty map pool

Here are the seven maps featured in Counter-Strike 2's Active Duty map pool at the moment:

• Ancient
• Anubis
• Dust 2
• Inferno
• Mirage
• Nuke
• Vertigo

Of the current Active Duty CS2 maps, Dust 2 is the most recent addition. It was previously removed in November 2022, before being reinstated in April 2024, replacing Overpass. Dust 2's history spans as far back as 2001, so it's a classic that keeps players coming back for more.

Valve tends to be secretive about Counter-Strike 2 updates. Because of this, we don't quite know when the next update to the Active Duty map pool will come. Many CS2 professionals are outspoken about their dismay at the current selection of maps, so it might not be long before change comes along.

Competitive Counter-Strike 2 maps

Outside of the Active Duty map pool, there are also several CS2 maps that gamers can play in the Competitive playlist. While you can't search for these maps in Premier Mode, they still offer a good time. When Valve decides to switch things up in the map pool, these are the maps it will choose from when not adding a new one.

Bomb Defusal

• Mills
• Overpass
• Thera

Hostage Rescue

• Italy
• Office

Some maps from Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, such as Cache, Cobblestone, and Train, have yet to return. Valve has yet to confirm whether they will come back in a future Counter-Strike 2 update.

The post All Counter-Strike 2 maps in the Active Duty map pool appeared first on Destructoid.