Sticker capsules are NO LONGER available?
Esports
Everyone was waiting for the new CS update… but nobody expected Valve to completely change how stickers work.
The 2026 Cologne Major Pass has officially arrived in-game, and at the same moment sticker capsules quietly disappeared from the store. A lot of players didn’t even notice it at first.
Pick’Ems for the IEM Cologne Major 2026 are now available. The tournament will take place in Germany from June 2 to June 21. The standard Viewer Pass costs $10.73, while the upgraded version with extra tokens costs $19.75.
But the most interesting part of the update is the completely new souvenir system. Players can now craft souvenir skins using:
Gold team stickers
Player autographs
Map stickers
Because of this system, prices on some skins and stickers could change dramatically within the next few days.
Valve also introduced an entirely different sticker economy:
Stickers are now purchased with tokens instead of capsules
100 tokens cost approximately $1.07
Sticker prices now depend on player demand
If a sticker loses more than 25 tokens in value within 24 hours, players receive a refund for the difference
“This might become one of the biggest market changes Counter-Strike has seen in years.”
Answers to questions players already have
Why are there no capsules anymore?
Valve removed capsules and switched to direct sticker purchases in order to make tournament items more accessible for players in every region.
How do you get tournament items now?
Players must activate and use tokens. Tokens can then be exchanged for any available tournament item.
How are sticker prices decided?
Sticker prices now change dynamically based on player demand. The more often a sticker is purchased, the more expensive it becomes.
Why are tokens needed?
According to Valve, the token system allows sticker pricing to be tracked more accurately while creating a more dynamic market.
Can you buy tokens in advance?
No. Tokens are only purchased during checkout when buying tournament items.
What happens if prices go down?
If a sticker loses at least 25 tokens in value within 24 hours, the difference is automatically refunded to the player’s token balance within a week.
How do souvenirs work now?
Players can select:
A weapon
A match
A player
After that, gold team stickers, player autographs, and map stickers are automatically applied to create a souvenir item.
How are souvenir prices calculated?
Souvenir prices depend on:
Sticker popularity
Team demand
Weapon rarity
The more desirable the combination, the higher the price.
How is tournament revenue shared?
Valve states that half of the revenue is distributed between tournament organizers, teams, and players. Before playoffs, the distribution is based on VRS ranking. After the finals, it depends on final tournament placement.
This might become one of the biggest market changes CS has seen in years.