CS2 Armory Pass and credits: how to earn them, the 40 credit cap, and the rules that block progress

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CS2 Armory Pass and credits: what they are and how to earn them

CS2's Armory is where you spend Armory Credits on items. The credits are not bought directly. You buy an Armory Pass, activate it, and then earn credits by playing on official Valve servers. Those credits are what you spend in the Armory.

This guide covers the rules that decide whether you make progress, the 40 credit cap per pass, and the three situations where a match does not pay out.

What the pass does

An Armory Pass is a purchasable item. Once you activate it, it rewards you with Armory Credits as you earn XP on official Valve servers. The credits are spent on items in the Armory.

Progress towards credits is consistent and separate from your weekly profile XP. You do not have to choose between the two. They track on the same play time.

You need Prime Status to buy a pass in the first place. Without it, the purchase option is not available to your account.

How many credits you get

Each activated pass allows you to earn 40 Armory Credits. Once you have earned all 40, the pass is complete. You can then clear the completed pass in-game and activate a new one to start again.

You can activate and earn progress on up to five passes at the same time. This is the part people miss. You do not have to finish one before buying the next, and five passes means up to 200 credits in flight across the set.

Passes do not have an expiration date. An unactivated pass stays in your inventory until you use it. An activated pass stays active until you clear it.

When a match does not pay progress

Three situations block Armory Credit progress for a match:

• The match was non-Prime.
• You left the match early, before XP was issued for completing the match.
• You or a member of your party caused the match to be canceled for irregular gameplay.

The second one is the common trap. Leaving at the scoreboard instead of waiting for the match to fully end can mean the XP, and with it the credit progress, never gets issued.

What you cannot do with a pass

• Armory Passes cannot be gifted, traded, or sold on the Steam Community Market.
• Armory Credits cannot be purchased. They are only earned through XP on official Valve servers.
• You cannot earn credits without an activated pass.

A pass can be refunded, but only if it has not been activated. Once you activate it, it cannot be refunded.

Limited Edition Items

The Armory shows a Limited Edition Item tile. That item is available for the duration shown on the tile in the Armory, so the window is visible before you spend anything. Check the tile rather than assuming a fixed date.

FAQ

Do I need Prime Status to earn Armory Credits?
Yes. You need Prime Status to buy a pass, and you need an activated pass to earn credits at all.

Can I buy credits with money?
No. Credits are only earned through XP on official Valve servers.

How many passes can I run at once?
Five. Each one can earn up to 40 credits.

Do passes expire?
No. Passes have no expiration date.

Why did my last match not give credit progress?
Check whether the match was non-Prime, whether you left before the match fully ended, or whether the match was canceled for irregular gameplay.

Can I trade or sell a pass?
No. Passes cannot be gifted, traded, or sold on the Steam Community Market.

Sources

• Steam Support: CS2 - Armory Passes and Credits