Winners of the VALVE Contest for The Armory Pass? These Skins Must Be in CS2!
The VALVE contest for creating skins and stickers based on specific themes lasted just over three months, with submissions closing on March 13. This means that very soon we can expect an update to The Armory Pass, which will include two new skin collections and two new sticker collections.
Throughout the entire contest, we closely followed the Steam Workshop and highlighted the most interesting and оригинal works. You can check them out here:
- Arabesque Art and Arabian Mythology, – Part 2
- Spy/Tech
- Combined Skin Showcase
- Auto Racing
- Fruits and Vegetables
- Combined Sticker Showcase
As a reminder, contest winners will receive one-time payments: $35,000 per skin and $6,000 per sticker. In this article, we’ll review the most interesting entries in each category that truly deserve these rewards. Let’s try to predict the future winners and take a look at their outstanding work.
Arabesque Art and Arabian Mythology
This collection was dominated by designs featuring patterns deeply rooted in the region: thin, elegant lines adorned with colorful gemstones. Most of the skins turned out quite intricate and detailed, yet they don’t clash with the refined Eastern aesthetic. We’re confident that several skins like this will make it into the final collection.
Another common trend was dynamic patterns. If none of them make it into the collection, it would be a huge surprise. That’s why we expect another hit with rare patterns that will shake up the market and be hunted by collectors and investors for a long time.
The third category includes skins inspired by dark Arabian mythology, filled with mysterious creatures, gods, and legends. The collection definitely won’t be complete without them, so get ready for bold and unconventional designs that might make Hyper Beast look like a harmless cartoon puppy.
Glock-18 | Carved Arabesque by 0zyxerio-
This Glock-18 feels like it once was an antique carpet from an Eastern bazaar before taking on a steel form. It’s not just a pistol—it’s a piece of art where ancient ornament traditions meet modern precision.
MAC-10 | Arabesque by Shieno
Everything here works beautifully from the tile-like design that perfectly fits the blocky MAC-10 body to the circular dynamic pattern. You’ll need to hunt for the perfect pattern not only on the side but also on the back, which is often in your field of view. Isn’t that just perfect?
AK-47 | Dune Rider by DoctorD
This skin hasn’t appeared in our previous selections, but we believe it has strong potential. References to the iconic Eastern starry sky, associations with sand dunes, echoes of “One Thousand and One Nights,” and a unique dynamic pattern – it has everything you’d expect from an Arabic-themed skin.
AWP | IFRIT by SerQ
Ifrit is a powerful fire spirit in Arabian mythology, considered one of the most dangerous and cunning types of jinn, associated with the underworld and evil. This sniper rifle is dedicated to that very entity, and its dark black base combined with shining gold details looks absolutely stunning.
Spy/Tech
Moving on to the second theme, the situation here is a bit different. While Arabesque and mythology had clearly defined categories, Spy/Tech designs mostly blended together. Many entries combine spy gadget elements, while high-tech designs often feature hidden codes and hacker-style details.
AK-47 | Spy Agent by Pet3d
We’d call this skin “cyber spy chic” thanks to its ultra-modern look and binary code elements that play a key role in the design. Everything feels polished, with attention to the smallest details and excellent use of colors and textures.
Glock-18 | Legacy by Endrit
A perfect example of a weapon clearly built for spy missions. The standout feature is the holographic display on the slide—you definitely won’t want to cover it with stickers, no matter how good the combo is. USB ports, SD card slots, and indicators suggest this pistol does much more than just shoot.
Andromeda Collection by H1oma
This is one of those cases where the creator didn’t stop at a single skin but made an entire collection. It’s ambitious—even borderline overconfident—but just look at it and try to say no. A futuristic prototype with pearlescent elements that VALVE hopefully won’t ruin like they did with the iconic Printstream.
AK-47 | Printstream by JTPNZ
Speaking of that legendary collection, this AK-47 absolutely belongs in the Spy/Tech theme. The developers couldn’t fully bring this masterpiece into CS2, so maybe quantity can make up for quality. We need a full Printstream collection—and it’s not complete without an AK-47.
Auto Racing
Moving on to stickers – and honestly, this category didn’t impress as much. It feels like the strongest entries were already featured in our previous selections, while many others looked very similar.
Cars on Dust2 Long, agents behind the wheel, racing helmets, rearview mirrors—it all started to blur together. Still, we focus on ideas, because visuals are subjective. The stickers below stood out thanks to their concepts.
Sticker | !CAUTION! (Lenticular) by oKeyush
This sticker stands out primarily due to its insane crafting potential. A series of tape-style stickers like this would look amazing on many skins, so VALVE should definitely take notice.
Sticker | Digital Dashboard (Lenticular) by Ezikyl
Another high-quality lenticular sticker that gained a lot of hype on social media. Ignoring it would be impossible. Will VALVE add it? Probably—but they also tend to ignore overly hyped Workshop items.
Sticker | Carbon Fiber (Foil) by kenN
One of the few truly original concepts in the category. It’s especially valuable when creators think ahead and suggest how their designs can be used. If added, everyone will finally be able to give their skins a carbon fiber finish.
Sticker | Pimp My Skin (Glitter) by Crinjejeje
A simple but brilliant idea that feels obvious in hindsight. A direct reference to the legendary show “Pimp My Ride.”
Fruits and Vegetables
This category turned out even weaker in terms of originality than Auto Racing. Easy-peasy lemon squeezy – bananas on Inferno, fruit-themed C4, and similar ideas everywhere. Still, there are some достойные entries worth attention.
Sticker | DRAGONFRUIT Lore (Holo) by funguz
A clever connection between the fruit’s name and the mythical creature behind one of CS’s most iconic skins. On top of that, the execution is excellent, and it’s easy to find a use for this sticker.
Sticker | Anton by Nori
No need to overthink this one—the creator already shows exactly how and where to apply the scratched version. That said, even the default version looks great.
Sticker | Inferno Banana Co. (Paper) by dwern
Yes, we called these ideas mainstream earlier. To clarify—it’s not about the idea itself, but the oversaturation of similar content in the Workshop. Still, the collection won’t exist without at least one of these.
Sticker | The Orange Valve (Foil) by Crinjejeje
A classic we’d love to see in the game – something that will instantly hit every old-school player right in the nostalgia.
Author: Alex
Alex is an author and esports observer with more than seven years of experience. He specializes in analyzing new releases in the world of computer games, gaming services, and in-game economies. Alex shares practical experience and an expert perspective on the development of gaming, helping readers understand complex mechanics and stay up to date with the latest news.
