The Counter-Strike 2 case market has seen enormous price increases since the game's release, making once-affordable cases a highly sought-after collection item.

Some cases, which were initially overlooked, have reached astronomical levels based on rarity, demand for their skins, and historical nature.

In this article, we explore the cases that have seen the most drastic value increases, their percentage growth, the reasons behind their demand, and how some were originally distributed for free.

Leading Cases by Value Appreciation

The most valuable case is the CS: GO Weapon Case, added in August 2013. It initially cost several dollars but now goes for around $80 on the Steam Community Market as of June 2025, a whopping 2,500% more than its original price.

The Operation Bravo Case, also launched in September 2013, follows closely, having grown from approximately $2 to $38, which is a 1,800% rise.

The eSports 2013 Case, one of the initial releases, has gone up from $2 to $41, representing a 1,950% rise.

These older cases, which are now labeled as "rare" or "discontinued," no longer drop in-game, so they're in static supply, but in the CS: GO times, cases were given away freely to players through random post-game drops. Particularly, the CS: GO Weapon Case or Operation Bravo Case could be obtained simply through play and without spending money, serving as a loyalty program and giving the players the initiative to come back and keep playing. Nowadays, this model is not only present in CS; but also found success in online games of luck, where operators offer bonuses like free sweeps coins to new players, giving them a reason to return again.

Admittedly, the items market did get saturated during the early days, keeping prices low. As Valve shifted cases into the rare drop pool or retired them, however, their supply was limited. Something that was previously a free reward was now an item of value, particularly in the eyes of players who had stockpiled unopened cases. As players open these cases, their quantity decreases, and prices spike upwards. The CS:GO Weapon Case 2, for example, increased by 26.71% ($2.78) since last Christmas 2024 to $15.01, indicating how even fleeting scarcity can balloon prices.

Why the Surge?

Several factors fuel the demand for these cases.

Previously-discussed rarity plays a big factor. As mentioned, retired cases are no longer available through gameplay, thus becoming valuable collector and trading items. Their contents, for example, the AK-47 | Case Hardened or M4A4 | Howl, are classic skins with high market value, which fuels demand as well.

Second, CS2's increasing popularity has pushed its player base higher, making rare items in greater demand. While the 2024 Armory update brought fresh cases such as the Gallery Case, older cases still hold some value because of their historical significance. Community sentiment also plays a part, cases associated with milestone events, such as the Operation Bravo Case, are sentimental favorites, which pushes the price.

Last but not least, the demand is also driven by the tradeup contracts which allow players to get limited valuable skins by giving some of their own. Some cases contain the skins that are known to give even rarer ones, so automatically, the price of the case containing those skins goes up. Considering the rising number of CS players and new generations learning about the classic skins, it’s not surprising that this also plays a big role.

Tournament Souvenir Packages: Rare Exceptions

Souvenir packages, dropped during major CS2 tournaments, are a unique case. These do not require a key to open and contain skins with unique golden tournament stickers. The most costly is the ESL One Cologne 2014 Cobblestone Souvenir Package, which sells for over $1,300 due to the fact that it can drop the legendary AWP | Dragon Lore.

These packages used to be randomly dropped to viewers who watched games on GOTV or Twitch, but with their low drop rates and legendary contents, they have become ultra-rare.

Other tournament packages, such as the Katowice 2014 packages, are also high-priced, usually over $500, because of their historical value and low drop rate.

The Current Value of the First Case Series and the Future

The earliest case series, CS: GO Weapon Case, CS: GO Weapon Case 2, and CS :GO Weapon Case 3, are also the most expensive.

As of June 2025, you can get them for around $80, $15.01, and $6.55, respectively. These cases, which came out in 2013 and 2014, have grown exponentially rivaling investment methods like cryptocurrencies.

The CS: GO Weapon Case, featuring the AWP | Lightning Strike and AK-47 | Case Hardened, is at the top, while the others gain advantage from the same criteria of rarity and demand.

Once ordinary drops, are now extremely popular collectibles with up to 2,500% value growth. Tournament souvenir packages provide another level of exclusivity, while the original case series is still the standard for collectors.

As CS2 develops further, these trends promise the enduring attractiveness of its in-game economy and could prove as an investment if recognized on time.