Does Using CS:GO Skins Wear Out and How Wear Affect Looks?

Skin wear is one of the most important characteristics of the skin. It defines, how worn-out the CS:GO skin looks: from shiny new weapon finishes, that look like they are just left the factory, to scratched or rusty guns, that went through many battles. The skin wear is defined by the float level, which can vary in the range from 0.0 to 1.0. For some weapons, the range is restricted. For example, for AK 47 Aziimov, the float can take values from 0.05 to 0.7. This affects the chances of getting the weapon with a particular wear state.

Do CS:GO/CS2 Skins Wear Out Over Time By Using?

New players often worry that the quality of the skins they have obtained will diminish with time. But there is no reason to worry. Unlike many modern video games, where the developers introduce items deterioration to motivate players to buy more, CS:GO market remains active and thriving without such incentives. The float value for each instance of the skin is determined at the moment of its creation (when it is dropped from the case or created via trading up) and cannot be changed afterward.

This means, that you can use your CS:GO skins however often you want, and they will not lose their quality. However, the chance of getting better-looking skins from cases is lower, so be prepared for the fact, that they usually cost more.

What Levels of Skin Wear Exist in CS:GO and CS2?

Depending on the float value, each skin gets a wear level, which determines its quality. There are five wear levels in the game, and each of them affects the look of the skin in its own way.

Factory New

This wear level is assigned to the weapons with float levels from 0 to 0.07. The weapon looks undamaged, but sometimes it already has some scratches or marks. Skins variations, that fall in this range, are the rarest and usually most expensive.

Minimal Wear

Skins at this stage have float values from 0.07 to 0.15. Often this is the optimal variation of the CS:GO skin to buy, because there are only a few degradation marks. Sometimes the difference from the Factory New is barely noticeable, but the price is lower.

Field-Tested

These are skins with float values in the range of 0.15 to 0.18. The pattern of the skin is still clearly visible, but the damage can be easily noticed. The price depends on the skin, as some patterns will look more damaged, than others.

Well-Worn

With a float value in the range from 0.38 to 0.45, the look of the skin deteriorates further. These skins are cheap, but the image of the skin is severely affected, some parts of the weapon lose paint or change color.

Battle-Scared

Here are the skins with the float in the range from 0.45 to 1.00. These skins look worn out, but this does not mean they are all ugly. Some players value them for their realistic looks, and some prefer them due to their low prices. There are also some rare cases, where skins with high float are valued on their own, for example, P90 Off World, P90 Death Grip, or MAG-7 Firestarter.