Your Guide to Austin Major Souvenir Skins: From Drops to Grails

Every CS2 Major is more than just a top-tier esports tournament; it's a prime opportunity to snag some exclusive in-game items. To celebrate the Austin Major, Valve is once again releasing Souvenir Packages—special versions of skins that feature the tournament's emblem and autographs from the world's best players. These aren't just flashy cosmetics; they are digital artifacts that commemorate a specific match and event. Let's break down which ones are worth going after and how you can get your hands on them.

How Do You Get These Coveted Souvenir Skins?

There are a few ways to acquire a commemorative drop from the Austin Major:

• The Pick'Em Challenge: If you successfully predict match outcomes, you'll earn souvenir coins that can be exchanged for cases.
• Direct Token Purchase: If you have a Viewer Pass, you can skip the prediction game and just buy the tokens you need outright.
• The Community Market: You can always find ready-to-open cases and individual skins on marketplaces like LIS-SKINS, often at very competitive prices.

It's crucial to remember that the supply of souvenir cases is limited, as they are only available during the Major. This scarcity means their value is likely to increase over time, making these skins a solid investment.

What Souvenir Cases Are Available at the Austin Major?

As is tradition, the available case collections correspond to the maps in the competitive pool. For the Austin Major, you can trade your tokens for cases from the following collections:

• 2018 Inferno
• 2018 Nuke
• 2021 Dust 2
• 2021 Mirage
• 2025 Train
• Anubis
• Ancient

Every skin from these cases is unique, thanks to four golden stickers: the Major's emblem, the map's emblem, and the autographs of the two MVP players from the match the case dropped from. These stickers can't be scraped or replaced, making each skin a true collector's item.

New for the Austin Major!

This time around, the developers have cooked up something special: Playoff Highlights Souvenir Packages. These cases will drop weapons with an attached charm that contains a video of a standout gameplay moment. You'll see information about the highlight in the weapon's description and be able to watch the clip right from your inventory. These packages will become available after the tournament concludes, as the developers need time to select and implement the best moments.

The Rarest and Most Desirable Skins of the Austin Major

The value of a souvenir skin depends on several factors: the weapon's popularity, its base cost, and, of course, the prestige of the teams and players whose signatures it bears. Every collection has its crown jewels that can be worth a small fortune. Here are just a few of the top-tier skins to hunt for.

• SG 553 | Integrale This vibrant skin from the Inferno collection features a race car-inspired design. The dynamic pattern of dark red, blue, and white lines and text creates a stunningly effective look.
• M4A1-S | Control Panel A real treat for fans of futuristic aesthetics from the Nuke collection. The body looks like it's assembled from metal plates and is covered in tons of small details like indicators, buttons, and switches.
• AK-47 | Gold Arabesque This legendary skin is the most expensive item from the Dust 2 collection. While Valve doesn't typically approve all-gold skins, they made an exception for the Gold Arabesque—and for good reason. It looks absolutely luxurious, and the souvenir version with gold stickers is even more impressive.
• AWP | Desert Hydra This is an exceptionally rare AWP skin from the Mirage collection. The body of the rifle features the gaping mouths of a multi-headed hydra, while the stock and scope are adorned with a stylish black-and-white pattern. Souvenir versions of this skin already exist, but that doesn't make them any less sought-after.
• AWP | LongDog A relative newcomer to the game, this skin was introduced with the updated Train collection. Its black-and-white body, textured to resemble dog fur, is decorated with images of hounds and accented with dark red elements. Importantly, this will be the LongDog's debut as a souvenir skin, so its price could do some interesting things over time.
• M4A4 | Eye of Horus The Anubis collection is filled with Egyptian-themed skins, but the Eye of Horus is arguably the most striking. A falcon, the symbol of the god Ra, is depicted in red and blue tones against a light background, complemented by gold accents and authentic ornaments.
• M4A1-S | Welcome to the Jungle Another skin inspired by ancient legends, this time telling a story of treasures lost in the jungle. From the Ancient collection, this skin showcases a golden serpent on a dark background, while the handle, stock, and magazine are covered in mysterious red symbols.

The Austin Major presents a unique opportunity for all collectors and investors. Some skins, like the AWP | LongDog, will be getting their first-ever souvenir version, while others, such as the Desert Hydra, will continue their legacy as rare collector's items. Follow the matches, make your picks, and maybe you'll be the one to get lucky!