Starting with the IEM Cologne 2026 Major, viewers can no longer receive souvenir skin containers. On top of that, the entire souvenir skin system in CS2 has been redesigned, allowing players to turn almost any skin into a souvenir item. Today, the CS.MONEY Blog explains how to craft a souvenir skin in CS2.
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How to Get an IEM Cologne 2026 Major Souvenir Skin?
In short, any skin without a StatTrak counter can be decorated with gold stickers from the IEM Cologne 2026 Major. To do this, open the tournament hub, select the match you want, and pay a fee based on the skin’s quality and the stickers you choose. We’ll cover the details below.
How Did Souvenir Skins Work Before?
For more than ten years, souvenir skins were available through special tournament containers. At first, these containers dropped randomly for viewers watching tournament streams. Later, they became available to Viewer Pass owners who upgraded their event coin.
When opening a container, you received a special-category skin with four stickers attached. Usually, these included a tournament or map sticker, stickers from both participating teams, and a sticker featuring one of the players. These skins couldn’t be used in trade-up contracts or crafted, which sometimes made their prices unusual. But everything changed this spring.
What Did Valve Change With Souvenir Skins?
The CS developers continue to move away from loot box mechanics. Now, players provide the skin they want to turn into a souvenir item themselves.
For example, a Souvenir AWP Dragon Lore used to cost significantly more than the regular version. With the new system, instead of spending $50,000, a player can spend around $50 and get the same holy grail skin that every trader dreams of owning.
Since souvenir skins can now be used in trade-up contracts just like regular skins, they have fully become what their name suggests: souvenirs that remind players of great esports moments. Right now, they don’t offer any other unique functionality.
Crafting Souvenir Skins in CS2: Step-by-Step Guide
Getting a souvenir skin in CS2 is incredibly easy. Here’s what you need to do:
- Launch CS2 and open the IEM Cologne 2026 Major section
- Choose the match whose stickers you want to use
- Select the skin you want to convert into a souvenir skin
- Remove all stickers already applied to the skin (this is mandatory)
- Choose the player whose autograph will appear on the skin
- Pay the required amount in tokens
- Receive your souvenir skin
How Much Does It Cost to Craft a Souvenir Skin in CS2?
To create a souvenir skin in CS2, you’ll need to pay for the total value of the gold stickers used. Don’t worry — depending on the skin’s rarity, you’ll receive a discount ranging from 85% to 99%.
| Rarity | Discount |
| Covert | 85% |
| Classified | 89% |
| Restricted | 93% |
| Mil-Spec | 96% |
| Industrial Grade | 98% |
| Consumer Grade | 99% |
Even with the biggest discounts, crafting a souvenir skin will cost at least $4. For that price, you get four gold stickers, which is actually a pretty decent deal. Of course, you won’t be able to remove and reapply those stickers to another skin — that’s exactly why Valve offers such large discounts.
What About Highlight Charms? Will They Be Available on IEM Cologne 2026 Major Skins?
Souvenir skins crafted from Stage 1 matches of the IEM Cologne 2026 Major do not include highlight charms.
Most likely, charms will become available when crafting souvenirs from playoff matches. Something similar happened with Major souvenir packages in 2025, so for now all we can do is wait. Valve has not officially announced anything yet, but it’s possible that players will also be able to choose specific highlights.
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Сообщение How to Craft Souvenir Skins in CS2 появились сначала на CS.MONEY Blog.