Shanghai 2024 Major Update
View original post on SteamOverview
The Shanghai 2024 Major has officially arrived in CS2, and it's one of the biggest esports moments of the year. Valve has opened the Shanghai Major Hub, giving players and fans access to the full suite of tournament content — Pick'Em Challenge, Viewer Pass, Souvenirs, Graffiti, and a fresh batch of Team and Player stickers.
Twenty-four teams fought their way through regional qualifiers over the past month to earn their spots, and the field is a compelling mix of established dynasties and hungry newcomers. For traders and collectors, Major drops are always a landmark event — the kind of update that reshapes portions of the market overnight and creates collectibles that can appreciate significantly over time.
New Skins & Collections
There are no new weapon skins or cases introduced with this update — the Shanghai Major is purely a tournament content drop, not a skin collection release. What you do get is the full lineup of Shanghai 2024 stickers, including Team stickers and individual Player autographs for all 24 competing organizations and their rosters.
Souvenir Packages are also available, which contain existing map-pool skins adorned with gold tournament labels and player signatures — these are the real collector's play here. Rarity within Souvenirs is driven by the prestige of the match they drop from, so Grand Final Souvenirs will be the ones to watch.
The Shanghai 2024 Viewer Pass upgrades your free coin and unlocks the ability to earn extra Souvenir Packages, making it the entry ticket for anyone serious about collecting from this event.
Gameplay & System Changes
This update is entirely event-focused — there are no gameplay changes, map updates, anti-cheat improvements, or UI overhauls bundled with the Shanghai Major announcement. The most impactful addition for active players is the Pick'Em Challenge, which is free to participate in and lets you pit your tournament knowledge against friends who hold active Viewer Passes via the leaderboard.
Upgrading your Shanghai 2024 Coin by activating a Viewer Pass before the event begins is the key mechanic to understand — late activation means missing out on early Souvenir Package opportunities, so timing matters. Beyond that, the update is a clean, focused tournament rollout with no mechanical surprises.
Market Impact — Trader's Take
Major sticker capsules are historically some of the strongest long-term holds in CS2 trading, and Shanghai 2024 is no exception. Player autograph stickers from teams that go deep in the bracket — especially Grand Final participants — tend to spike immediately after the event and then settle into a slow, multi-year appreciation curve as supply gets consumed through application.
The smart play is to identify breakout players or Cinderella teams early in the tournament and buy their stickers before the broader market catches on. Souvenir Packages from high-profile matches, particularly the Grand Final, are worth picking up during the event when prices are relatively suppressed — they become significantly harder to find once the Major concludes and the supply tap closes.
Viewer Passes themselves have limited shelf life, so if you're on the fence, activate before the tournament ends or skip entirely. For existing skin inventory, Major periods historically drive overall market volume up, which can be a good window to move mid-tier items that might otherwise sit idle.
Official Patch Notes
From the official CS2 Steam blog — read on Steam
The Shanghai Major Hub is now open for business, complete with the Pick'Em Challenge, the Shanghai 2024 Viewer Pass, Souvenirs, Graffiti, and Team and Player stickers. 50% of the proceeds from tournament items are shared with players and organizations.
The Pick'Em Challenge is free to play, but if you want to upgrade your Shanghai 2024 Coin (and earn extra Souvenir Packages), make sure to activate your Viewer Pass before the event begins. You can also compare your Pick'Em performance to other friends with active passes on the Active Pass Leaderboard.
It's time to support your favorite teams. Place your picks, set your graffiti, mark your calendar and get ready, because the Shanghai Major is about to begin. May the best team win!