TL;DR: dataminers found locked, empty loadout slots in CS2’s October 1, 2026 test build, and the loadout screen shows placeholder slots next to the rifles that look sized for grenades. That has revived the grenade skins rumor. Valve has not announced grenade skins, no grenade finishes exist in the files yet, and empty slots are not a release date.
What Was Actually Found
The October 2026 datamine round-ups list several unreleased features in the latest test build: a death cam, a rebuilt Watch tab for live matches, mission buttons and a set of locked loadout slots. Those slots are the interesting part for skin collectors. They sit in the loadout menu, they are greyed out, and they have no item assigned. Social posts credit the Russian dataminer МОЛЕКУРЯТНИК with spotting them, and screenshots show them in the column where grenades would sit.
There is older groundwork too. Grenades became inspectable during the first CS2 limited test in June 2023, the same inspect animation every skinned weapon has. Today almost every other item in your inventory can carry a finish: guns, knives, gloves, agents, and even the Zeus x27. Grenades, the C4 and a few utility items are the main gaps.
Confirmed vs Speculation
| Claim | Status |
|---|---|
| Locked, empty loadout slots exist in the Oct 2026 test build | Reported by dataminers |
| Grenades can be inspected in game | Confirmed (since June 2023) |
| The new slots are for grenades | Speculation |
| Grenade skin finishes exist in the files | Not found |
| Valve has announced grenade skins | No |
How Grenade Skins Could Work
If Valve does add them, the simplest version is a new loadout slot per grenade type (HE, flash, smoke, molotov or incendiary, decoy) with finishes dropping from a new case or terminal. That would match how Valve has launched every new cosmetic category: the item type ships first, then a container with the first set of finishes.
What it could mean for skin prices
A brand new item category usually pulls attention, and money, toward the first container that carries it. Early grenade finishes would be scarce while supply builds, much like the first glove finishes were in 2016. Existing skins are less likely to move much, although a big new container tends to cool demand for older cases for a while. None of this is investment advice: until Valve ships something, any price move on the rumor alone is a bet on a guess.
What to Watch For
- Grenade item definitions or paint kits appearing in a new datamine (that would be much stronger evidence than empty slots).
- A new terminal or case announcement, the usual way Valve releases a new cosmetic type.
- Workshop calls asking artists for grenade designs.
Open Cases While You Wait
You do not have to wait for Valve to chase a knife. On CaseBattles you can open CS2 cases with provably fair odds, or start a case battle against other players. New here? Read every new CS2 case and terminal of 2026 first.
Frequently asked questions
Are grenade skins coming to CS2?
Not confirmed. Dataminers found locked, empty loadout slots in the October 1, 2026 test build that look like grenade slots, but Valve has not announced grenade skins and no grenade finishes have been found in the files.
Can you inspect grenades in CS2?
Yes. Grenades have been inspectable since the first CS2 limited test in June 2023, the same inspect action used for skinned weapons.
When will grenade skins be released?
There is no date. Empty loadout slots are early groundwork at most; a release would normally come with a new case or terminal announcement from Valve.