In Counter-Strike, Valve has created a piece of technology called the “StatTrak” that was implemented into CSGO weapon skins. Valve has already trademarked the StatTrak feature, so nobody else can steal the idea.
In general, StatTrak skins are always pricier than the regular version of the skin. If you wonder why this is, this article will tell you everything you need to know about StatTrak and how it differs from normal skins.
What is StatTrak CSGO?
The StatTrak tool is essentially a kill counter attached to your weapon skin. This counter is relatively small in size, so it does not cover or hinder the weapon skin’s display.
Though it may be obvious, the way to increase the number on the counter is by getting kills on enemy players in official Valve matchmaking servers. This includes game modes such as Competitive, Premier, Deathmatch, Arms Race, and Casual.
The StatTrak counter records the lifetime kills a player gets while using the weapon’s skin. So, the counter does not reset after every match. However, if the weapon skin is traded to another player, the tracker will reset back to zero.
On weapon skins, the StatTrak counter appears as a small digital LED tracker on the side of the gun. On knives, the counter is different, as you can’t just attach a counter to the knife. As a result, the kill counter appears as numbers scratched on the knife.
Difference between StatTrak skins from normal ones
Now that we’ve understood what StatTrak is in CSGO, we can conclude that there is an apparent difference between regular skins and StatTrak ones.
Simply put, a normal skin does not have a StatTrak counter, while the StatTrak version of the skin does.
You can think of StatTrak skins as an upgrade of its regular version. Players who have extra money to spend on a skin can get its best version with a kill counter.
It is important to note that StatTrak skins do not provide players with any competitive advantage, as Counter-Strike has never been a pay-to-win game. Buying StatTrak weapons is purely intended for cosmetic purposes and does not give players an upper hand over others.
Price difference between StatTrak and normal skins
Since players are getting an extra feature in the form of a kill counter, it is evident that StatTrak weapon skins will cost you more than a regular version.
The prices of the StatTrak version of skins are significantly higher than the normal ones, sometimes even more than double the price.
Let’s take an AK-47 | Redline in Minimal Wear condition as a reference. A typical version will cost you $115. Meanwhile, the StatTrak version in the same wear is $275. It is pretty mind-blowing that players are willing to pay two times the price just for a tracker that records their kills.
However, StatTrak knives are a different topic. Most players do not enjoy having their knives scratched with the StatTrak counter. The blades of knives are already thin, so you don’t want having big numbers hindering the beauty of the skin.
As a result, the prices of most StatTrak knives are either similar or even cheaper than its normal version.
How to get StatTrak skins?
StatTrak skins are only obtainable from CSGO weapon cases. You cannot receive them from drops or from souvenir packages. As a result, only skins in weapon cases have StatTrak versions for them. That’s why you have never seen a StatTrak AWP | Dragon Lore before.
To obtain StatTrak skins for yourself, you must either open weapon cases and unbox a StatTrak skin or buy them from the Steam Community Market or other traders.
Remember that all StatTrak weapon skins will have “StatTrak” written in front of the weapon’s name and will have orange outlines on the Steam client. Ensure these two indicators are visible so you don’t get scammed for a standard version of the skin.
Are StatTrak skins rare?
Yes, StatTrak skins are much rarer than standard versions of the skin. Though Valve has never officially released the chances of getting StatTrak items, the community has agreed that the odds of getting a StatTrak version of the skin is 1 in 10.
Let’s use some numbers to get a better idea. The chance of unboxing a Classified (Pink) skin from a weapon case is 3.2%. So, the odds of unboxing a Classified StatTrak skin should be around 0.32%.
These odds should already give you a decent grasp of why StatTrak skins usually cost more than double the price of the normal one.
What are StatTrak Music Kits?
We’ve talked about StatTrak versions of regular weapon skins and knife skins. However, there is a third item category that also has StatTrak versions.
Though it sounds funny, most Music Kits have StatTrak versions, too. However, Music Kits can’t really kill people, right? So, what is the StatTrak tracker counting?
Well, StatTrak Music Kits keep track of how many Round MVPs a player has received while it is equipped. You can get Round MVPs by planting or defusing the bomb and eliminating enemy players.
Are StatTrak skins worth buying?
This question depends on you. If money isn’t a big problem, then getting the StatTrak feature on your favorite skins will feel highly satisfying and rewarding, especially if you are a collector or plan on sticking with that skin for years to come.
However, if you’re on a budget, you can always close your eyes on the StatTrak version of skins, as they can be unnecessarily pricey. They do not provide you with any competitive advantage, so nobody is forcing you to get it.