CS:GO analyst and former pro Sean Gares took aim at the game’s new character model skins during the ECS Season 8 Finals.
As part of Operation Shattered Web, the latest major content update for CS:GO, Valve introduced the ability for players to change the default look of their character model in the game.
While on the surface this might seem like a harmless cosmetic option, in practice players have discovered that it can cause issues due to some looks blending in which the background or features of certain maps, effectively ‘camouflaging’ them and making it harder for opponents to identify targets.
As a result, the new feature has not been entirely popular with competitive players, with several pros criticizing the change.
During an analyst desk segment at the ECS Season 8 Finals, Sean Gares also took the opportunity to fire some shots at the new skins. As the camera switched to show the analysts, Sean Gares’ chair was empty.
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“I put on my new skin right here,” he explained, “Oh, I have the camo skin on. Can you not see me?”
Fortunately for the players at the event, some organizers – including ECS organizers FACEIT – have banned the use of the new skins, a move that appears to have been made in cooperation with the CS Professional Players’ Association.
Valve have yet to respond to the criticism of the new models. While it seems unlikely that they will reverse the option altogether, it remains possible that they may look to adjust the more problematic skins to improve visibility.
According to map maker FMPONE – creator of Cache – however, allowing custom skins is inherently “game breaking”. He states that map designers choose specific models to be used on their maps in order to provide a clear contrast, and it seems possible that any ability to change character skins could cause visibility issues in certain locations.