How Do CS:GO Loot Boxes Work

Who hasn’t heard of loot boxes in 2023? These gacha like in game boxes have been compared to gambling so many times, especially with what happened with Blizzard’s recent games. However, one game that seems to be immune to this loot box hate is CS:GO. Well, have you ever wondered just why that is and just how the loot box system in CS:GO works?

Loot boxes in CS:GO are called ‘weapon cases’ and can be acquired in various ways. These ways include purchasing them from the in game store or randomly getting them as drops after a match. Once a player gets their hands on a loot box they can choose to open it. Just like any other loot box, the content inside is completely random and always consists of a specific rarity. The rarer the item the more valuable it’s considered too.

We’ll be going in depth regarding just how the loot box system of CS:GO works. We’ll also be giving you guys an accurate as can be table showcasing the rarity levels and the chances of getting items of every rarity.

Acquiring Loot Boxes

As mentioned above, loot boxes in CS:GO are actually called weapon cases. Now, there are multiple ways you can get your hands on a weapon case in this game, but the most common way is simply purchasing one from the in game store. 

Alternatively, it’s also possible to earn loot boxes as drops while playing the game, especially during competitive matches. These drops are random and occur at the end of matches, offering players an opportunity to acquire loot boxes without spending real money. While it hasn’t been proven, some players speculate that winning competitive matches increases the chances of you getting these drops. Better sharpen up your strafing and counter strafing skills to start winning.

Opening Loot Boxes

Once you have at least one loot box in your inventory, you’ll be able to open it. To do so, there’s one more thing you’ll need to do. You see, opening a loot box requires the use of a corresponding key. This key can be purchased separately or obtained through in game drops. Each loot box is associated with a specific case, such as the "Chroma Case" or the "Operation Hydra Case." 

As it is with pretty much every other game that has loot boxes, every time you open a loot box you’ll get a guaranteed random item. This item will be one of many rarity types, and the rarer the item the more valuable it’ll be. Don’t worry about these loot boxes being fixed because the game utilizes a random number generator (RNG) algorithm to determine the contents of every box.

Contents and Rarity

Since we’ve mentioned that items in loot boxes can be of multiple rarities, it only makes sense to go through these said rarities too. The primary way of differentiating the different rarities of items is by color. Different colors have different rarities, and the more rare a color, the higher it is on the food chain.

Below you’ll find a table representing the chances of you getting a specific colored item when opening a loot box.

The probability of receiving items of higher rarity is typically lower, and this creates a sense of excitement when opening loot boxes every time. Pretty much why the gacha system is so popular. The market value of items can fluctuate based on supply and demand, with rarer items often commanding higher prices in the in game marketplace or on external trading platforms.

Controversies

We did say earlier that CS:GO was mostly able to avoid the majority of the hate, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t had its fair share of controversies in the past. CS:GO loot boxes have faced scrutiny and controversy due to their similarities to gambling.

Critics argue that the random nature of loot box contents and the real world value of certain items can create addictive behaviors, particularly among younger players. Because of this, there has been a split between the people for a while now, with one side calling for the legal banning of loot box practices in general.