The Shanghai Major period is officially here! Today, Valve released a major update centered on tournaments in China, although there’s more to it than that. Get ready as the CS.MONEY blog takes you through all the important changes!
Don’t forget—you can get free skins! Visit the Battle Pass page, complete tasks, play CS2 and collect amazing items!
Shanghai Main Stickers
As with other Valve tournaments, the Shanghai Major brings team and player stickers into the game. Following the precedent set at the Copenhagen Major, the team stickers feature a clean design with no background, with a small Eastern-style tournament logo at the bottom. Player autograph stickers include the team logo in the background. Stickers are available in four qualities: Paper, Glitter, Holo, and Gold.
Check out the complete collection of Shanghai Major stickers in our dedicated article:
You can now rent skins from all cases
A significant update is the ability to rent skins from all unlocked cases. Previously, this feature was limited to the case skins introduced in CS2. Apparently, Valve liked the data they collected and decided to extend the feature to older cases.
Can you rent Dragon Lore? Unfortunately, no. This feature only applies to skins from cases that are opened with a key, so you won’t get a chance to use the AWP Gungnir or AK-47 Wild Lotus at a low price. However, there are still expensive skins that can be rented, such as M4A1-S Printstream. But keep in mind that cases like Operation Broken Fang are already expensive and limited, so renting a skin like that will not only cost $2.50 for the key but also cost a premium for the case itself.
Who Might Benefit from Leather Rentals?
There are two main scenarios in which this feature could work:
- Occasional Player: If you play CS2 on a regular basis — dabbling for a week and then walking away for months — renting might make sense.
- Dream Skin: If there’s an overpriced skin you’ve always wanted to try, rentals give you the chance to own it, even if only temporarily.
However, for most players, skin rental remains a situational choice that may not suit their needs.
As time goes by, it is likely that cases that are no longer actively decreasing will become increasingly rare. Enthusiasts may increasingly rent skin from these cases, which could ultimately lead to thinning of the skin.
Shanghai Main Audience Ticket
Valve has once again introduced Viewer Pass for those hunting for souvenir skins and Diamond Coins for their profiles. As before, the basic version currently costs $10, while the version with three souvenir coins costs $18. Nothing has changed here, the rules, challenges and format are all the same.
Our pick for Shanghai’s Grand Opening Stage
The first stage of the tournament promises to be intense action. Remember the unwritten rules for predictions:
For 3-0choose a team you are 100% sure of or an unpredictable team that could shine or be knocked out. Our picks: MongolZ and Cloud9.
- MongolZ had a favorable first game and performed well overall.
- cloud9 is a wild card, capable of surprising both positively and negatively.
For 0-3consider Rare Atom and Imperial.
- Rare Atoms may have home advantage but are arguably the weakest team in the tournament.
- Imperial struggling against teams from their region, which might hurt their chances.
Among our picks to advance to the Elimination stage, we highlight:
- Virtus.pro
- Complexity
- Team Liquid
- ANGER
- BIG (after their strong RMR performance)
- Pain Game (an interesting Brazilian team and capable of surprising)
With a series of tense matches and unforgettable moments, the Shanghai Major promises to be an epic spectacle. The action starts this Saturday — long live the Shanghai Major!
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