Operation Hydra Case: A Rare CS:GO Case with Outstanding Drops

Operation Hydra launched as the eighth Counter-Strike: Global Offensive operation on May 23, 2017. Along with the six community-created maps, Hydra mission game modes, 30 Guardian missions, and Hydra events, the CS:GO community got the Operation Hydra Case. This was the second case released in 2017 and came less than six weeks after the Spectrum Case.

The Operation Hydra Case was the first operation case with a restricted volume. Upon its release, each CS:GO player was only able to get a maximum of nine Hydra Cases. Naturally, this limitation affected the market and drove prices up. Once Operation Hydra ended on November 13, 2017, the case was immediately moved to the rare drop pool.

About the Operation Hydra Case

The late-May release of the Operation Hydra Case provided players with 17 new community-designed weapon skins along with a set of gloves including Bloodhound Gloves, Driver Gloves, Hand Wraps, Moto Gloves, Specialist Gloves, and Sport Gloves. Players cannot access the contents without the Operation Hydra Case Key.

The original case limitation was a new factor for CS:GO gamers but the effects weren’t immediately obvious. The case launched with the typical price spike but the value on the Steam Community Market decreased significantly the entire duration of the operation with prices falling to as low as $0.08 in October 2017.

What’s Inside the CS:GO Operation Hydra Case?

The five rarest weapons skins in the case feature vivid neon colors with the exception of the M4A4 Hellfire, which featured more muted reds and oranges. Mil-Spec and Restricted tiers are mostly shades of browns, blacks, and reds with a few exceptions. Surprisingly, two of the top five most popular skins from this case are actually Mil-Spec designs including the USP-S Blueprint and the M4A1-S Briefing. The full list of weapon skins included in this case is as follows:

• Mil-Spec
  • USP-S | Blueprint
  • FAMAS | Macabre
  • M4A1-S | Briefing
  • MAC-10 | Aloha
  • MAG-7 | Hard Water
  • Tec-9 | Cut Out
  • UMP-45 | Metal Flowers
• Restricted
  • AK-47 | Orbit Mk01
  • P2000 | Woodsman
  • P250 | Red Rock
  • P90 | Death Grip
  • SSG 08 | Death's Head
• Classified
  • Dual Berettas | Cobra Strike
  • Galil AR | Sugar Rush
  • M4A4 | Hellfire
• Covert
  • Five-SeveN | Hyper Beast
  • AWP | Oni Taiji

Along with these beautifully designed skins, the Operation Hydra Case featured the gloves from the Glove Case that was released late November 2016. These gloves are in their original finishes and include:

• Bloodhound Gloves | Bronzed
• Bloodhound Gloves | Charred
• Bloodhound Gloves | Guerrilla
• Bloodhound Gloves | Snakebite
• Driver Gloves | Crimson Weave
• Driver Gloves | Convoy
• Driver Gloves | Diamondback
• Driver Gloves | Lunar Weave
• Hand Wraps | Badlands
• Hand Wraps | Leather
• Hand Wraps | Slaughter
• Hand Wraps | Spruce DDPAT
• Moto Gloves | Boom!
• Moto Gloves | Cool Mint
• Moto Gloves | Eclipse
• Moto Gloves | Spearmint
• Specialist Gloves | Crimson Kimono
• Specialist Gloves | Emerald Web
• Specialist Gloves | Forest DDPAT
• Specialist Gloves | Foundation
• Sport Gloves | Arid
• Sport Gloves | Hedge Maze
• Sport Gloves | Pandora’s Box
• Sport Gloves | Superconductor

Market Demand and Rarity

While the market demand for the Operation Hydra Case was originally rather low, it has since climbed significantly. Currently, the case prices out between $24 and $25 on the Steam Community Market. With only 507 listings, available quantities of this rare case are limited. Since January 2023, the Operation Hydra Case has increased in value from around $14 to closer to $25. If quantity continues to decrease and the case continues to grow in rarity or gets moved to the discontinued designation, it’s possible prices could increase even more.

Limited cases also equal limited numbers of skins. It’s no surprise that a handful of skins from this weapon case are listed at over $500. The Factory New version of Oni Taiji with StatTrak tech is listed at just under $1,200. Other skins in the top-10 price range include different versions of the Oni Taiji for AWP, Hyper Beast for Five-SeveN, and Hellfire for the M4A4. However, with 20 different skin versions coming in at over $100, it’s clear to see there’s value in opening the case as well.

When it comes to the ultra-rare gloves, Factory New Boom! Moto Gloves take a commanding lead with listings at just under $2,000. The next highest-priced gloves on the list are the Foundation Specialist Gloves which list at a price of just over $1,500. From there we see occurrences of the Crimson Kimono Specialist Gloves, Bronzed Bloodhound Gloves, Cool Mint Moto Gloves, Snakebite Bloodhound Gloves, and Hedge Maze Sport Gloves all listed over $1,000. And, while Operation Hydra Case inventory is limited, these same gloves are available in the lower-priced glove case as well.

Get Your CS:GO Operation Hydra Case

While the Operation Hydra Case is a rare in-game drop, it is still possible to get with the Prime Status weekly level-up. However, at this point, it’s not statistically likely that players will see a dramatic increase in case inventory unless something changes about the drop pool. As with most CS:GO cases, the rarest items go for the best prices. Even if a player were to open 100 cases, there is no guarantee they’ll end up with a skin with a $1,000 price tag. Right now, the best bet to get the case and contents without spending a fortune is to level up every week and see if it drops. However, if players are after specific skins, there’s always the option of purchasing or trading to get that skin sooner than later. When it comes to gloves and knives, players should always keep their eyes open for other cases offering the same ultra-rare drops so they can make the best decisions for their collection.

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