Valve, the creators of CS2, strongly discourage the use of skin changers, arguing that it undermines the value for players who purchase skins legitimately. Additionally, the Valve Anti-Cheat (VAC) system can flag skin changers as malware because they alter the game's data without proper authorization.
This means using a skin changer on a server protected by VAC could lead to an immediate ban.
Also, it's risky to have a skin changer installed on your device. If you enter a Competitive match with it still active, you're looking at a likely ban.
But there's a silver lining for those keen on experimenting with skins. There are non-VAC-protected community servers where skin changer plugins are allowed, giving you the freedom to test out various skins, knives, and gloves. Do tread carefully, though, as these servers might have a higher prevalence of cheaters.
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Will Playing on a Skin Changer Server Get You Banned?
Even though Valve isn't a fan of skin changers, just playing on a skin changer server won't land you a ban. Commonly referred to as "ws servers," they're technically against Valve's rules, but there's often no real crackdown on them.
Should there be any disciplinary measures, they'll target the server owners rather than the players. So, you can breathe easy and safely enjoy a skin-changer server without worry.
Of course, this does mean that you won’t be able to play game modes that affect your Rank, but you can play in a Competitive context with skin changers. Specifically, many skin changer servers offer standard 5v5 match-ups, and these are usually scrim servers.
But, you’ll have to restart the game after joining a non-VAC-protected community server before you can join any official game modes. It’s a little annoying, but that is about the extent of the inconvenience.
In essence, playing on skin changer servers (also known as “ws servers”) is excellent, but you should never install a skin changer into your personal device/game. Furthermore, using a skin changer on a VAC-protected server will inevitably get you the VAC hammer. Finally, always remember to have fun and stay positive!
