In Counter-Strike 2 there will soon be an X-Ray scanner that allows you to see the contents of a loot box before you buy it. However, this feature cannot be used to cheat, as Valve has ensured.
What is this feature? You will find the “X-Ray Scanner” as a tab in your inventory. In the future, it will be the only way to open cases in Germany. These are the loot boxes where you find skins for weapons and more. Although these cases are controversial, the Steam developer makes a fortune from them nonetheless.
In France, this feature has been in the game since 2019, and starting March 16, 2026, it will also be available in Germany.
The scanner comes with a unique, exclusive, and non-tradable “Genuine P250 | X-ray”. You must claim this before you can then use the scanner to view the contents of other containers. This way, you can see what they contain before you open them with a key.
Good skins remain a matter of luck
Isn’t that cheating? No, because in the end, not much changes.
- If you have scanned a case, you cannot trade it or sell it on the community market – in that regard, it is treated just like an already opened case.
- To scan another case, you must first claim the contents of the last one.
You cannot simply leave cases behind if you do not like their contents. So what you ultimately get remains a matter of luck.
Why this change? Valve does not provide an official reason. However, in France, this feature was introduced due to strict regulations regarding the opening of loot boxes. According to local law, they are considered gambling and are therefore strictly prohibited (source: esportfire.com).
The X-Ray scanner aims to circumvent this classification by showing players the exact content of a loot box before they spend real money.
In the USA, Valve’s loot boxes are currently causing a lot of trouble again. The US state of New York is taking legal action against the loot boxes in Counter-Strike 2, as well as in other Valve games like Team Fortress and Dota. MeinMMO has already reported on this; you can read our article here: In the USA, Steam is facing scrutiny – due to the loot boxes in Counter-Strike 2
