CS2 players opened 15M+ cases in 3 days after the skins-market crash

Between October 23–26, 2025, Counter-Strike 2 players opened over 15 million cases—nearly half of September’s total (about 31 million). The figure was shared by creator and data-miner Maxim “Gabe Follower” Poletaev, who tracks CS2 economy stats. 

Why case openings spiked

The surge followed Valve’s October 22–23 update that expanded Trade Up Contracts to allow exchanging five Covert items for a knife or gloves, making ultra-rare items far more accessible than through traditional case openings. That change triggered a rapid repricing across the economy. 

How big was the crash?

Estimates vary by source and methodology, but multiple outlets reported a multibillion-dollar drawdown within 24–48 hours:

Forbes: market cap fell from $5.9B → $4.2B overnight (≈ $1.7B).

PC Gamer: summarized a $1–$2B hit tied to the knife/glove trade-up. 

Pley.gg (PriceEmpire data): $2.4B lost in 29 hours (≈ 40%). 

Tom’s Hardware: up to $3B wiped out “overnight.” 

Some trackers also noted a partial rebound by October 25, with total market cap recovering to about $4.7B (≈75% of the peak), though prices remained volatile. 

Player & creator reactions (verified quotes)

xQc, streamer: “Bro, if you’re broke, why are you buying luxury goods?” — his take on the collapse while testing the new crafting system. 

Neymar Jr. reportedly saw ~$50,000 wiped from his CS2 inventory the day the update hit, per PriceEmpire data cited by Pley.gg. (This is not Neymar’s own quote, but a data point widely reported.) 

Community sentiment ranged from panic to praise; many traders decried rapid devaluation, while some players welcomed broader access to knives/gloves. (Round-ups from mainstream gaming press). 

Bottom line

Despite a historic market shock, engagement spiked—with 15M+ cases opened in three days and total October openings surpassing 31M by late month. The update appears to have rebalanced rarity and shifted demand toward crafting, even as prices and market-cap figures continue to whipsaw.