About the AWP | Desert Hydra
The AWP | Desert Hydra is a Covert sniper rifle skin from The 2021 Mirage Collection. It was released in CS:GO in September 2021 with Operation Riptide, and it is one of the most sought-after AWP skins in CS2.
It never dropped from a weapon case. The Desert Hydra is the only Covert skin in its collection, there is no StatTrak™ version, and many copies come as Souvenirs from Mirage Souvenir Packages at the Majors. That limited supply is why it is rarely seen in matches.
The wear tabs at the top of this page show the current AWP Desert Hydra price for each condition.
Design
A many-headed beige hydra with glowing teal eyes and mouths wraps along the body toward the barrel, set against a yellow and pink background with ornaments and gradients. The barrel, scope, and rear of the stock are painted white with thin brown lines. The in-game description calls them gold snakes creeping toward the barrel. The colors on this page break down as a mix of orange, brown, and red, with grey.
The design is the same on every copy. There is no pattern to check, so the look of a particular Desert Hydra comes down to its wear and whether it is a Souvenir.
How to Get the AWP | Desert Hydra
The AWP | Desert Hydra does not drop from any weapon case. There are three ways to get one in CS2.
- Buy it from a marketplace. This is the route almost every player takes, because it lets you pick the exact wear, float, and version. The offers at the top of this page show every marketplace with a listing.
- Open a Mirage Souvenir Package. Souvenir copies come from Mirage Souvenir Packages released at the Majors, and each one carries stickers from the match it was dropped in. The Desert Hydra is the top-rarity skin in those packages, so the odds of getting one are very low.
- Trade up to it. It is the only Covert skin in The 2021 Mirage Collection, so ten Classified skins from the collection, the Desert Eagle | Fennec Fox and MP5-SD | Oxide Oasis, always trade up into a Desert Hydra. Souvenir skins cannot be used in trade-ups.
Wear Conditions and Float
The Desert Hydra has a float range from 0.00 to 0.60, so it exists in all five wear conditions: Factory New (FN), Minimal Wear (MW), Field-Tested (FT), Well-Worn (WW), and Battle-Scarred (BS). Battle-Scarred only covers 0.45 to 0.60.
Small scuffs appear on the white parts from Minimal Wear. Near the top of the range the white paint is almost gone and the whole rifle looks darker. Use the 3D inspect tool on this page to see how a given wear looks before you buy.
Switch between conditions using the tabs above. Each one has its own listings and price history.
Variants
The AWP | Desert Hydra comes in a standard version and a Souvenir version. Souvenir copies carry the gold Souvenir label and tournament stickers from the match they dropped in. There is no StatTrak™ version. Pricempire lists each version separately, so you can compare them using the toggle above.
What Drives the Price of the AWP | Desert Hydra
- Supply. It never dropped from a weapon case and is the only Covert in its collection, so far fewer copies exist than of case AWPs.
- Wear. Condition is a major factor. Factory New copies are the scarcest and sit well above worn ones.
- Souvenir and stickers. Souvenir copies, especially with stickers from famous players or matches, can sell well above standard ones.
- Float within a condition. A low float inside any wear bracket usually carries a premium.
- Trade-up cost. Because ten Classified skins from the collection always produce a Desert Hydra, the prices of the Fennec Fox and Oxide Oasis tend to move with it.
- Demand for the AWP. It is the most recognizable weapon in the game, which keeps interest in its rare skins high.
Compare the offers above before you buy or sell, and set a price alert if you are waiting for a particular level.
Similar Skins
If you like the Desert Hydra, these are the closest alternatives.
- Other collection-only AWPs. The AWP | Dragon Lore, AWP | Gungnir, and AWP | The Prince also never dropped from cases.
- Covert AWP skins from cases. The AWP | Asiimov, AWP | Wildfire, and AWP | Chromatic Aberration are easier to find and come in StatTrak™.
- Same collection. The Desert Eagle | Fennec Fox is the most popular of the other 2021 Mirage Collection skins.
- More choice. Browse all AWP skins on Pricempire.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is an AWP Desert Hydra?
It depends on the wear and on whether it is a Souvenir. The wear tabs at the top of this page show the current lowest AWP Desert Hydra price for each condition, and the price history shows how it has moved.
What case is the AWP Desert Hydra in?
None. It is part of The 2021 Mirage Collection, which was released with Operation Riptide rather than in a weapon case. Souvenir copies come from Mirage Souvenir Packages at the Majors.
What is a Souvenir AWP Desert Hydra?
A Souvenir Desert Hydra dropped from a Mirage Souvenir Package during a Major. It has the Souvenir label and comes with tournament stickers from the match it dropped in, which is why prices vary a lot between Souvenir copies.
Is there a StatTrak™ AWP Desert Hydra?
No. The AWP | Desert Hydra comes in standard and Souvenir versions only.
Can you trade up to an AWP Desert Hydra?
Yes. It is the only Covert skin in The 2021 Mirage Collection, so ten Classified skins from the collection, the Desert Eagle | Fennec Fox and MP5-SD | Oxide Oasis, always trade up into a Desert Hydra.
What is the float range of the AWP | Desert Hydra?
0.00 to 0.60. It is available in every wear condition from Factory New to Battle-Scarred.
When was the AWP | Desert Hydra released?
In September 2021, in CS:GO, with Operation Riptide. It is still available to buy and trade in CS2.
Where can I buy an AWP | Desert Hydra?
The offers at the top of this page list every marketplace with a Desert Hydra for sale, with the lowest price for each wear condition.