Valve has shipped a Counter-Strike update adding a Ranked Series of Cologne 2026 Major stickers, a second run of tournament items sold at a lower price than the first. In its announcement, the company said the original dynamic pricing system "didn't produce reasonable prices."
The new stickers carry an altered square design and display each team's final standing at the tournament, HLTV reported. Valve said the Ranked stickers keep the same relationship between player and team prices that the Event Series stickers had as of the update, but start from a lower base.
From 150,000 tokens to 6,000
The gap between the two runs is large. Under the original dynamic system, prices for some of the most sought-after items climbed above 150,000 tokens in the in-game shop, roughly $1,500, according to HLTV. At the time of that outlet's report, the highest-valued stickers in the new series were 6,000 tokens, or about $60.
HLTV had previously reported that several teams described Cologne Major sticker sales as "disastrous." In one case cited by the outlet, a team's earnings had fallen to 20 percent of what a roughly equivalent capsule from the StarLadder Budapest Major had returned.
What the change means for teams
Valve said 50 percent of royalties from every item in the Cologne 2026 Shop go to the teams, players and the tournament organiser, the split it applies across Major item sales. A lower unit price paired with a wider audience is the trade the repricing implies, though neither Valve nor HLTV published sales figures for the new series.
The shop's closing date has not moved. Valve said the Cologne 2026 Shop, including the Ranked Series, will be available until September 29, and HLTV noted that team earnings from the Major are likely to change again over that window as the second run sells.
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