An Evo gun in Blood Strike is a weapon wearing an EVO-tier skin, the game's top cosmetic tier, which levels up to unlock new reload and inspect animations, custom kill effects, on-gun counters and a floating drone companion. They do not change damage or recoil, and they are sold for a limited time through named "Valor" prize pools, with the SCAR - Stellar as the first one in March 2025 and the Kar98k - Shuriken as the newest weapon example in October 2026. This page lists every EVO weapon skin we could confirm in the official notes, explains how they upgrade and how to get them, and clears up the frequent mix-up with EVO skills.
We checked this against NetEase's official version update announcements on the Blood Strike site and Steam, a BlueStacks review of the SCAR - Stellar, the App Store listing and a Blood Strike guide site's skin explainer, in November 2026.
What Makes a Skin EVO-Tier
Blood Strike skins come in tiers, and the official notes use names such as Legendary, Ultra, Eternal and EVO when announcing new items. EVO-tier skins sit at the top because they are not static: they evolve as you level them. NetEase introduced the tier on 21 March 2025 with the SCAR - Stellar, which it called the "first-ever EVO weapon skin", describing a gun body like a miniature alien warship with flowing light effects.
BlueStacks' review of the SCAR - Stellar lists the kind of unlocks the leveling path brings: new reload and inspection animations, a custom kill broadcast and hit effects, ammo and kill counters displayed on the weapon itself, and a floating buddy that follows you. Since April 2026 you can even switch the appearance of that in-match floating drone from the weapon traits screen. Some EVO melee skins add a Refine system on top: Ethan's Pivot, the first EVO melee skin, changes appearance randomly each time you Refine and unlocks more customization the more you do it, and the Fireborn melee skin in July 2026 used the same system to let you pick styles and colors.
The key point is that all of this is presentation. A Blood Strike guide site's rarity explainer states that skins are cosmetic and do not change weapon stats, and BlueStacks describes the SCAR - Stellar's upgrades as personalization. An EVO AK47 kills exactly as fast as a plain one. What you are paying for is the look, the animations and the feeling of a weapon that grows with you as you use it.
Every EVO Weapon Skin Released So Far
The table below lists every EVO-tier weapon and melee skin we found in NetEase's update announcements, with the date its prize pool opened. Reruns are noted separately below the table, because several older EVO skins have returned for a limited time.
| Skin | Weapon type | Launch date |
|---|---|---|
| SCAR - Stellar | Assault rifle | 21 March 2025 |
| M4A1 - Tiadraco | Assault rifle | 18 July 2025 |
| KAG-6 - Matrix | Assault rifle | 12 September 2025 |
| Galil - Reaper | Assault rifle | 17 October 2025 |
| AK47 - Hellride | Assault rifle | 26 December 2025 |
| Pivot (Ethan) | Melee | 9 January 2026 |
| MP5 - Guard | SMG | 23 January 2026 |
| AUG - Riptide | Assault rifle | 20 February 2026 |
| UMP45 - Forsaken | SMG | 20 March 2026 |
| Spear - Freeze | Shotgun | 24 April 2026 |
| M1887 - Destroyer | Shotgun | 22 May 2026 |
| QBZ95 - Penetrator | Assault rifle | 19 June 2026 |
| M700 - Warlock | Sniper rifle | 17 July 2026 |
| Fireborn | Melee | 31 July 2026 |
| Vector - Polarity | SMG | 21 August 2026 |
| SVD - Reaper | Marksman rifle | 1 September 2026 |
| Raze | Melee | 20 October 2026 |
| Kar98k - Shuriken | Sniper rifle | 23 October 2026 |
Reruns follow a pattern too. The SCAR - Stellar returned in its Stellar Valor on 6 March 2026, the KAG-6 - Matrix came back on 3 July 2026, and from 4 August 2026 an "EVO Return Selected Valor" let players choose one of three older EVO weapons to add to the pool. If you missed a skin, there is a reasonable chance it returns, though NetEase never promises a date in advance.
Watch out for look-alike names. The FAL - Evolved Draco was a first-anniversary Eternal skin handed out in March 2025, not an EVO-tier item, despite the word "evolved" in its name. When in doubt, check the tier label on the item card in the store or your vault.
How to Get an EVO Skin
EVO skins arrive through limited-time prize pools, usually named after the skin with the word "Valor" or "Gacha", such as the Riptide Valor or the Warlock Valor. Draws use pool-specific vouchers, which launch events hand out in limited numbers, and each pool stays open only for its event window.
Free routes exist but are partial. When the SVD - Reaper launched on 1 September 2026, the Reaper Gacha Giveaway let players claim 50 Reaper Gacha Vouchers toward a draw, and the 2.5 anniversary login event added 50 bonus Reaper Stash Vouchers from 11 September. Those vouchers help, but they are a head start rather than a sure thing. The App Store age rating lists loot boxes among the game's contents, which is worth knowing before you spend.
A sensible approach is to decide your budget before a pool opens, check whether the skin is for a weapon you actually use, and remember that the pool closes. If the target is a weapon you rarely touch, wait for a skin on your main gun instead. It also helps to read the full announcement for each pool, since NetEase lists the opening date, any free voucher giveaways and companion events in the same post, and those details decide how far your free resources will stretch before you spend anything. Our best guns breakdown shows which weapons are worth investing in after the October 2026 patch, and the AK47, KAG-6, UMP45 and Vector all have EVO skins on the list above.
EVO Skins Versus EVO Skills
The word "EVO" also names a gameplay mechanic, and the two are easy to confuse. EVO skills are upgraded Striker abilities. They debuted in limited-time EVO Battle Royale and EVO Hot Zone modes in March 2025, where each Striker's EVO gauge charged over time or by damaging standing enemies, and the primary skill and EVO skill shared a cooldown. Squad Fight later gained an EVO Platform that handed temporary EVO skills to whoever captured it.
That platform was removed from Squad Fight in February 2026, with NetEase saying EVO abilities would return in a new form. They did: the Superpower Rivals mode in July 2026 unlocked EVO skills for all Strikers during the event, and a June 2026 update added an optional "EVO Skill" resource pack so players can download those assets only when needed. None of this has anything to do with EVO weapon skins, which are purely cosmetic.
Are Evo Guns Worth It?
That depends on what you value. If you play one weapon constantly, an EVO skin turns every match into a small show, with custom kill effects and a companion drone, and the on-gun counters give useful feedback. If you rotate weapons with each patch, a single EVO skin may sit unused when its gun falls out of the meta, the way the P90 slipped in August 2026.
- Prioritize staple weapons: rifles such as the AK47 and KAG-6 have stayed relevant through many patches.
- Use free currency first: event Gold and Strike Pass refunds can fund part of a draw. Our Strike Pass guide explains how maxing the pass returns 520 Gold.
- Collect free vouchers: launch events often hand out pool vouchers, and our codes and free rewards guide covers where those announcements appear.
- Wait for reruns if unsure: several EVO skins have already returned, and the EVO Return Selected Valor even let players choose which one.
Matching an EVO Skin to the November 2026 Meta
If you are going to chase one EVO skin, it makes sense to pick one for a gun the balance team has treated well. Here is how the EVO list lines up with the weapon changes NetEase published during 2026.
- AK47 - Hellride: the AK47 gained upper chest damage in September 2025 and a level 100 cap with the M-LOK Barrel in August 2026. It is one of the two strongest rifles right now, so this skin is likely to stay in use.
- KAG-6 - Matrix: the KAG-6 is the other top rifle, praised for low recoil. Its EVO skin has already had one rerun, so watch for another.
- AUG - Riptide: the AUG lost chest damage in May 2026 but got it back on 20 October with reduced dropoff, making the Riptide more appealing than it was over the summer.
- Vector - Polarity and UMP45 - Forsaken: the two benchmark close-range guns. The Vector has been trending up, while the UMP45 took a damage cut in May but still leads its class for many players.
- SVD - Reaper: launched three weeks after the SVD's big August 2026 buff, so it pairs a fresh skin with a newly viable gun.
- QBZ95 - Penetrator: the QBZ95 has moved up and down all year, and its armor-piercing magazine was reworked again in October, so this is a riskier pick.
Melee EVO skins are a different case. Pivot, Fireborn and Raze do not depend on any gun's balance, and the Refine system on Pivot and Fireborn gives them more long-term variety than a weapon skin. If you want something that will not lose value when the next patch shifts the gun meta, a melee EVO skin is the most dependable pick for your vouchers.
Skins Without the Long Gacha Grind
Because EVO skins are limited and many have not returned yet, some players would rather start from an account that already owns them. The Blood Strike page of the store shows account listings from marketplace sellers, and each describes its own skins and server, so read the contents closely before deciding. NetEase's Terms of Use say you may not share, sell or transfer your account without its prior consent, so weigh that before buying.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the first EVO gun in Blood Strike?
The SCAR - Stellar, which NetEase announced as the first-ever EVO weapon skin. Its Stellar Valor launched on 21 March 2025 and returned on 6 March 2026.
Do EVO skins increase damage?
No. EVO skins change animations, effects and on-weapon displays only. Damage, recoil and handling come from the weapon and its attachments.
What is the newest EVO skin in Blood Strike?
As of November 2026, the newest are the Raze melee skin from 20 October and the Kar98k - Shuriken from 23 October 2026.
How do you upgrade an EVO skin?
EVO skins level up through their own upgrade path, unlocking new animations and effects at each stage. Exact materials vary by skin, so check the skin's upgrade screen in game.
Will old EVO skins come back?
Some have. The SCAR - Stellar and KAG-6 - Matrix both had reruns in 2026, and the EVO Return Selected Valor in August 2026 let players pick one of three older EVO weapons.
Is an EVO skill the same as an EVO skin?
No. EVO skills are upgraded Striker abilities used in special modes such as Superpower Rivals, while EVO skins are cosmetic weapon skins.