The quality of workshop submissions has been steadily increasing. We’ve seen some incredible work by new and returning contributors. For the next case, in order to direct this amazing creative force in the most useful direction, we’ve decided to announce in advance the weapons we hope to ship.

Shipping a case means balancing an ideal case design against the available weapons on the workshop. Often we’d like to ship a particular weapon at a particular quality, but can’t find a match on the workshop. As a result we end up shipping some weapons more frequently than we’d like, and some a lot less.

While we expect to ship several of the items already on the workshop, we’re hoping this announcement can help guide artists to fill some gaps (marked with an asterisk below). Note that the list isn’t a guarantee of the final case design. With that caveat out of the way, here is the list:

Covert
M4A1-S
G3SG1*
Classified
USP-S
AK-47
SSG 08*
Restricted
M249*
P250
MAG-7*
Galil AR*
Mil-Spec
Glock-18
Dual Berettas*
FAMAS*
SCAR-20*
XM1014*
MP7*
MAC-10

We will be making our final selections after September 7th.

FAQ

Do I need to do anything special to be eligible for this case?
No, all you have to do is submit your designs by September 7th and make sure your item has been finalized on the workshop.

Do I need to use the new paint style in my design?
No, it’s just one more option that you can consider. As with any weapon case, we’ll be looking for variety in art style.

Do I get paid more for a weapon in a higher tier?
No. Every weapon in a case pays out an equal share.

How do I design for a specific tier?
It mainly has to do with visual salience and design specificity. Weapons with bright colors and designs that perfectly complement a weapon’s geometry end up in the upper tiers. Weapons with more subdued colors and/or more randomization in the pattern application end up in the lower tiers.

What can I do to stand out?
Give your weapon a story. This is more than creating a beautiful design; it’s giving the weapon a visible history that hints at a larger narrative. Good examples are the AWP | Asiimov, the P250 | Cartel, AK-47 | Wasteland Rebel, and the P90 | Elite Build.