Blue Burst (so_teal) landed with Spring Forward on March 31, 2025 as part of the Ascent set—a Common, Valve-made weapon finish on the Tec-9. Listing name: weapon | Blue Burst. Electroplated multi-step blue gradient; allowed wear 0.0–0.8.

Where it comes from

Tied only to Ascent. No side cases or souvenir packs—drops, Steam Market filters, and C5GAME collection tags all point to the same line.

What you're buying

Not flat blue: light-to-deep bands step across the body. Electroplating keeps gradient edges sharp and highlights tight—a cool, minimal look that still reads in-game without busy artwork. Tec-9 energy still applies: fast peek, fast spray; the skin stays quiet while the rhythm stays loud.

Common rarity makes it a natural Ascent checklist filler and a cheap blue Tec-9 or color base if you later pair higher-tier Ascent skins.

Inspect & wear

Open 3D inspect and walk barrel → slide → grip → mag. Note where the gradient sits on each plane and whether high wear adds scratches or gray you can live with.

• Near 0.0: richer, more saturated steps.
• Toward 0.8: larger scuffed zones; electroplated flash dulls and spreads.

Price gap between Factory New and Battle-Scarred is often modest for this skin—so budget buyers can skip obsessing over float if the pattern looks clean and reflections still pop where you care.

Shopping verdict

Worth it if: you're completing Ascent, want a layered blue Tec-9 without paying for rarer names, or need a neutral blue loadout gun.

Skip or wait if: you only chase loud patterns—this is gradient minimalism—or you expect huge FN vs BS spreads (usually not here).

Compare the same wear bucket on Steam Market and C5GAME before you commit; slightly worn can save money with little visible loss on this finish.

Expert mutterings

Electroplated commons are inspect games, not float games. I've seen 0.15-ish pieces outshine fussy 0.04s because the blue bands stayed even on the slide. If you're set-docking Ascent, grab a clean mid-tier wear and spend the delta on a rarer Ascent piece—you'll thank yourself in the flex slot.