Valve has released a revamped souvenir system in Counter-Strike 2 ahead of the upcoming highly anticipated IEM Cologne 2026 Major, and it has met with mixed reactions from the community. Moving away from the random souvenir packages, players will be given the option to convert almost any weapon into an IEM Cologne 2026 souvenir weapon directly through the new Major Hub.
The freshly minted Souvenir-O-Matic system gives players control over souvenir crafting, along with the added flexibility of crafting gold tournament stickers. Having gained traction very quickly, this update has become a heavily debated topic because it harms the exclusivity and takes away the luck factor that makes said items special.
How to Create an IEM Cologne 2026 Souvenir Weapon
To convert a weapon into a Cologne 2026 souvenir skin, follow these steps:
- Open the new IEM Cologne 2026 Major Hub in CS2.
- Select any eligible normal-quality or souvenir-quality weapon from your inventory.
- Choose a completed IEM Cologne 2026 match.
- Pick a player from that match whose autograph you want applied.
- Confirm the souvenir conversion and spend the required Cologne 2026 tokens.
- Your weapon will return with official gold team stickers, autograph stickers, and a map sticker attached.
Valve has confirmed that the new system will not have an impact on the crafted cosmetics, as the prices will be dynamic as usual, as per the flow of the market, meaning the items that are in demand will gradually appreciate, thereby keeping the investment factor intact.
Why the New CS2 Souvenir System Matters
Moving away from the traditional souvenir package system entirely, and switching to a more crafting-oriented system, removes the luck factor and, at the same time, makes it more predictable and less exciting than before. Only time can tell how this impacts the CS2 market, but as this change comes with the new Major, it will be interesting to see how this system unfolds.