This article is for those who want to know all about the Arms Deal collection. It is where the story of modern CS GO as we know it began. What's the secret? The weapon cases introduced as part of the Arms Deal update on August 14, 2013 kicked off an industry of in-game skins, stickers, patches, agents and, of course, prohibitively expensive knives.
The update brought such concepts to the shooter as:
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Contract — a tool to get a higher quality skin from a dozen low-level colorings
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Stickers — stickers to express individuality. They can be glued on any weapon to give it a bit of author's features. Well or increase the resale value of a skin;
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Name Labels — disposable weapon nameplates that allowed you to rename any gun in CS GO;
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StatTrak — proprietary technology (according to the authors) that allows the skin owner to keep statistics on the number of frags for each of his weapon/knife.
What is the Arms Deal collection? Oddly enough, there are only 9 skins. At the same time, most of them are still in great demand on the secondary market, and there is a queue for weapon cases.
And this is provided that its current price on Steam trading platform is close to the $30 mark. Not a bad long-term investment if you managed to get hold of these about 5-7 years ago, when they were still dropping in randoms and had almost no value.
To make it easier to understand the nominees of the Arms Deal CS:GO collection, we will build a hierarchy of skins from the simplest to the most valuable.
A characteristic feature of the collection — is the presence of StatTrak on all nominees without exception.
AUG Wings
Maximum simple in its genius skin. Black body with a sleek white wing across the stock. The coloration is bilateral, so the beautiful white-gray wings (strongly resembling feathers) are seen by both right- and left-handed people. It's nothing fancy, but it looks awesome. Another characteristic feature of the rifle is — unusual Float value, which is calculated by some prohibitive percent, although the total value is limited from 0.00 to 0.13. In other words, you can only find FN and MW variants, which continue to stubbornly increase in price every year.
MP7 Skulls
The first in its class skin with pattern coloring. In other words, dozens of variations of this submachine gun can be found in the game, with skulls in all cases in different locations. The general coloring is the same in all cases: black backplate, black buttstock and dark purple magazine horn. And throughout the weapon are stylized black shards with bottomless eye sockets. Kind of creepy, but seen more as an extravagant decision by the designer.
SG 553 Ultraviolet
The first representative of its kind to receive this color. The rifle is distinguished by its black body and an abundance of dark purple details (grip, switches, buttstock, sight, forend). No abstract drawings or graffiti — everything is serious. A little later MAC-10 appeared in the same style, and after it a string of knives — 14 pieces, including kerambit, bayonet knife M9, butterfly and navaju. This armory even being battle-hardened looks interesting.
M4A1-S Dark Water
Remarkably, the M4A1-S as well as the M4A4 first appeared in the Arms Deal update. And to popularize one of the rifles, it was immediately outfitted with this awesome skin with a ton of patterns. On the steel background, wavy lines are chaotically arranged to form an abstract pattern along the length of the weapon. Later the collection «Dark Water» was supplemented by 3 more exhibits: SSG 08, FAMAS and USP-S. It is noteworthy that the pistol appeared at the same time as the rifle. Moreover, it follows further down the list.
USP-S Dark Water
Actually, here it is, a chrome steel bar that has been dipped in an aqua-printing machine to give the hull an unusual coloration using streaks of black and gray paint. Like its predecessor, the USP-S has several patterns, including frequent and rare. Float is limited to MW and FT, and the cost of the skin without StaTrak is not much different from the more «pumped» version. Every year the popularity of the gun grows almost exponentially, because shit. They don't make those anymore today.
Glock-18 Dragon Tattoo
And this skin is heartily loved by representatives of Asian region for one distinct detail — stylistic symbol of Chinese New Year, nestled on the receiver of the gun. And this is its only advantage — . Otherwise, the Glock-18 does not differ much from the factory version: black body, textured grip and a minimum of paint. Fans of minimalism exult in delight.
Desert Eagle Hypnosis
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And here the situation is fundamentally the opposite. It's also a secret quality. The black background of the case features a pattern of rounded lines that strongly resembles a hypnotic spiral. Hence the name. Gamers even have a challenge to find the center ring located in close proximity to the trigger. Patterns 17, 49, 55 and the like will do. Maybe you'll find an even closer version — dare. But the Cannon is really cool even by today's standards.
AK-47 Surface Hardening
Let's be honest: this Kalash is beautiful beyond belief. No matter how many updates with new skins come out, no matter how many people suck on Fire Snake, Vulcan and Fuel Injector, good old Hardening remains the best abstract option in our humble opinion. Especially in the Blue Top variation, which you're still trying to get. The number of patternots will please any connoisseur of the whitewash and iridescent hues of burned metal. A real man's toy in a word.
AWP Lightning Strike
The first and only secret skin in the Arms Deal collection. And yes, it is good in its uniqueness. Calm purple body color and detailed lightning bolt that crosses the rifle from bipod to buttstock. Does this weapon need anything else? No, even stickers will spoil the author's idea, no matter how much the owner tries to personalize the model.
These were and still are the first skins added to the game in the Arms Deal update. Further packs with different images have significantly diluted the situation in CS GO, but the first nine should know by sight any gamer who has ever played a shooter from Valve.