Top 10 Skins in the Chinese Version of CS2
The visual aspect of Counter-Strike in China is quite different from what we’re used to seeing. Due to strict laws in the country, downloading the game requires personal identification verification. For various reasons, images of skulls, blood, certain language scripts, and various symbols are poorly received in China. All these elements are often found in CS2, so most of them have been partially redesigned for the local version of the game called Perfect World. The most significant changes affected in-game items. In this article, we’ve compiled ten skins that have been altered for the Chinese audience.
Let’s not rank these skins. Instead, let’s consider each example individually and try to understand why the skin had to be changed.
UMP-45 | Primal Saber
- Factory new – $10
- Minimal wear – $4.5
- Well-worn – $2.2
- Field-tested – $2.5
- Battle Scarred – $1.7
The most striking example, which will be encountered most often, is the depiction of a skull. Even in the case of an animal skull, the skin was redrawn and added to the game in a completely new form. Instead of the remains of an extinct animal, the author revived it and gave the drawing a completely different look. It’s possible that the Chinese version would be popular in other regions as well.
USP-S | Cortex
- Factory new – $13
- Minimal wear – $5
- Well-worn – $2
- Field-tested – $2.6
- Battle Scarred – $2
Another skull image needed to be covered. Interestingly, a full skeleton is depicted on the grip of the pistol, but only the head was changed. In the Chinese version, it was turned into a scarecrow, but the elements of “oozing brains” throughout the weapon’s body were left untouched. Another interesting fact is that this skin is often subject to changes anyway. Many players like to stick stickers instead of the skull to diversify their item and give it a unique visual. Thus, despite the author’s efforts for the Chinese market, they are often covered by ordinary stickers.
MAC-10 | Curse
- Factory new – $11
- Minimal wear – $9.30
- Well-worn – $9
- Field-tested – $8.5
- Battle Scarred – $9.8
From skull images, we move to immortalized corpses. Apparently, the original skin with the mummy portrait also didn’t pass the face control and was completely wrapped up. Rumor has it that in some cases, designers deliberately play it safe and provide alternative versions for the Chinese market. There is no certainty that this is exactly the case, but the mummy is depicted with quite lively, human eyes. The developers at Perfect World apparently agree with this fact and opted for a version where the eyes remained completely untouched.
MAC-10 | Propaganda
- Factory new – $43
- Minimal wear – $36
- Well-worn – $29
- Field-tested – $32
- Battle Scarred – $29
The second MAC-10 from today’s selection, but with new reasons for changes. The “Propaganda” skin, part of the Train 2021 collection, is currently “censored”. The Train map has been absent from the competitive map pool for three years now and cannot be obtained except through trading platforms. Chinese censorship not only removed the skin from circulation but also altered its appearance. The local adaptation removed the Russian language inscriptions. According to local laws, there should be no “Propaganda”!
M4A4 | In Living Color
- Factory new – $41
- Minimal wear – $15
- Well-worn – $8
- Field-tested – $7
- Battle Scarred – $5.8
We’re sure that only the most discerning players and true skin lovers could notice such a minor change. The design of this rifle is filled with various small details, and its color scheme is so bright that it’s hard to focus on any individual elements. It seems that this is exactly the case where the author played it safe and engaged in self-censorship. Replacing the tiny “death” image with a cartoon face doesn’t change the overall perception. These manipulations could have been avoided, and only the second version could have been uploaded to the workshop.
P90 | Grim
- Factory new – $0.59
- Minimal wear – $0.15
- Well-worn – $0.16
- Field-tested – $0.07
- Battle Scarred – $0.06
Now let’s look at a case where death art with a scythe is front and center, and the changes affected the overall concept. Instead of the atmospheric ghostly drawing, the Chinese version received incomprehensible heads in gas masks. The adaptation turned out to be quite absurd and is unlikely to be popular even despite its low cost.
M4A4 | Desolate Space
- Factory new – $27
- Minimal wear – $12
- Well-worn – $5.8
- Field-tested – $7
- Battle Scarred – $5.4
One of the most popular skins for the M4 without a silencer looks great in both versions of the game. In Perfect World, the transparent visor of the spacesuit was painted yellow, and this did not worsen the appearance of the weapon. The desolate space retained its original concept and remains on the favorites list for most fans of this rifle.
Sawed-Off | Apocalypto
- Factory new – $1.77
- Minimal wear – $0.65
- Well-worn – $0.29
- Field-tested – $0.36
- Battle Scarred – $0.27
This shotgun is also in a space theme. This weapon is used quite rarely in the game, but the appearance of this skin has received many enthusiastic reviews since its inception. Changes for players from China, albeit insignificant, might seem a little disappointing. Many meanings are hidden in the details, and the single broken finger touching the globe is not accidental.
USP-S | Kill Confirmed
- Factory new – $204
- Minimal wear – $96
- Well-worn – $49
- Field-tested – $62
- Battle Scarred – $47
It’s possible that this is the most overhauled skin of all. Strong changes in the color scheme, in the main characters of the art, make the Chinese version a completely new skin. The skull was replaced with the iron head of a robot, and the red blood with blue liquid. All these changes make comparisons extremely difficult and make both versions perceived as independent works. It’s hard to say whether this is good or bad, but thanks to this, you can feel the real difference between Perfect World and Counter-Strike.
Galil AR | Chatterbox
- Well-worn – $18
- Field-tested – $80
- Battle Scarred – $9
A case where all the original ideas of the authors were preserved, not only in the images but also in the functionality. The placement of the skull (robot head in the Chinese version) is not accidental. The upper and lower parts of the jaws are drawn where the cartridge casings fall out. During shooting, it feels like the rifle is literally spitting bullets. This is the key feature of this skin. It’s cool that the redraw didn’t affect this moment and preserved its conceptuality.
China is an extremely unique region, and the gaming sphere is no exception. The laws of this country force many adjustments, as we have just seen with the skins. Many manufacturers are forced to adapt to the situation because no business wants to lose such a huge market.