Dust 2 in the official mappool. All changes in the big patch for Counter-Strike 2
At the end of April, Valve traditionally returns from a long corporate vacation. It’s been a pretty painful time for Counter-Strike 2 players, with the shooter going without updates for almost a month. Especially considering that the state of the game after PGL Major Copenhagen 2024 left much to be desired, and the official matchmaking and prime mode were filled with cheaters. But any vacation ends someday. Just a few days later, on the night of April 26, Valve presented one of the biggest updates for Counter-Strike 2. The official map pool in the shooter has changed, the Overwatch system has returned, and the long-awaited change of hand and discounts on capsules with PGL Major Copenhagen 2024 stickers. In this article we will discuss all the changes in CS2 in the new update.
Return of Dust 2
Fans have been asking for updates to the competitive map list for a long time. But as usual, Valve was able to surprise everyone with its decision. She did not remove the problematic Vertigo and Inferno and even the outdated Mirage. Everyone’s favorite classic Dust 2 returned to the map pool. The map replaced Overpass, whose exclusion no one expected. At the release of Counter-Strike 2, Valve presented a full-fledged remake of the map, which was warmly received by players and did not have any special problems with the balance of the parties and the general structure of the location. Professional players had mixed reactions to the change: everyone agreed that they were glad to see Dust 2 back, but it was meant to replace one of the other maps.
The appearance of the legendary map in the official map pool of Counter-Strike 2 was a matter of time. Valve introduced an improved version of Dust 2 back in closed beta testing – it was the first map available. She left the tournament map pool back in CS:GO – on November 19, 2022, when she was replaced by Anubis. Dust 2 has a lot of fans and the map itself has always been interesting on the professional scene, so we are looking forward to the first CS2 matches on it. It fits perfectly with the fast style of the updated version of the shooter, as well as the new mechanics with smoke grenade dispersals.
It’s difficult to say what will happen to Overpass. After a full remake, the map does not require any special changes, and the reason for its exclusion from the map pool is still not clear. Most likely, it will not stay in stock for long and will return in the near future with some balance changes, but you definitely shouldn’t expect any big changes to it.
Left hand in Counter-Strike 2
Along with the patch, a long-awaited feature from CS:GO appeared in CS2, which players have been asking for since closed beta testing. Now you can again change the hand in which your weapon will be located. Previously, in Counter-Strike 2, by default it was only the right one and it was impossible to change it, despite the fact that most players used the left one before switching to the updated version of the shooter.
In CS2, a separate setting has appeared for the function and you no longer have to change your hand through the console. You can also bind the parameter to a separate button so you can do it right during the match. But so far players are complaining that they cannot shoot while changing hands, which makes this function extremely inconvenient. However, its appearance was an important change for most players; Valve just had to refine it to perfection.
Anticheat update and the return of Overwatch
Valve did not stand aside and heard players about the problem of mass cheating on official servers. The new update has improved the anti-cheat, and also brought back the important Overwatch from CS:GO. Now VACnet will automatically detect strange behavior of players and give a temporary block to search for matches for a potential cheater and his teammates from the lobby until observers from the Patrol make a decision on his ban.
Overwatch itself is not yet available; Valve has not yet begun granting access to the system to players who meet the requirements. But the function itself did not undergo any significant changes after the transition to CS2. The only innovation was the «Perhaps» option when rendering a verdict on an accused player.
Overwatch was an important tool for combating cheaters in CS:GO and it has finally appeared in CS2, which should radically reduce the number of cheaters in matchmaking and prime mode.
Inferno changes
Not only the map pool has undergone changes, but also individual maps. Baggage, Inferno, Overpass, Nuke, Vertigo, Mirage and Office have been updated. Of these, only Inferno changed radically, which was often criticized due to its strong preponderance towards terrorists. The mid lane on the map has been greatly changed, as well as the banana. High roofs, which professional players did not like, disappeared from the location. It is worth noting that the map has become more similar to the version from CS:GO than updated for the new version of the shooter.
Discounts on PGL Major Copenhagen 2024 capsules
Along with the update in CS2, long-awaited discounts on capsules with PGL Major Copenhagen 2024 stickers appeared. Traditionally, they can be purchased with a 75% discount for $0.25. It is not yet known how long this promotion will last, but knowing Valve, they will not close the sale quickly. The time has come for long-term investment in stickers, because PGL Major Copenhagen 2024 became the first major in the updated version of the shooter, and the stickers received a nice appearance with a transparent background – their price should show a significant increase over time.
Economic changes
In the patch, Valve also introduced the first changes to the economy. You will now receive $100 for a kill with the Zeus x27, and the movement speed with the stun gun has been increased. This will help recoup its cost a little and will force players to use it more often during economic rounds. The reward for kills with the CZ75-Auto has also been increased – $300 instead of $100. And the XM1014 was cut a little and now you won’t be able to make money on boosts as effectively – you only get $600 for a kill with a shotgun, and not $900, as it was before.
Other changes
The game also received other innovations, which compared to the others do not seem so significant, but are still extremely important. For example, the purchase menu now displays all weapons that are on the ground. You can pick him up automatically without running after him at spawn. Also in this very menu you now see the minimum amount of money that you will have in the next round without planting a bomb, defusing it or killing it.
The CS2 interface has also changed, namely the ESC menu. It has become more convenient and shows the score table so that you can always follow the game, even while changing the settings. Killfeed now has a separate icon for kills made while jumping, and when you hold a grenade, a sight appears that will help you make the right placement. For fans of custom maps, Valve has also prepared a pleasant innovation – now you can play with friends on maps from the Steam workshop.
This update showed the seriousness of Valve’s approach to working on Counter-Strike 2. Even when the game does not receive major patches, the developers collect all the feedback from fans and ultimately present a solution to all the problems that appear in the shooter. However, the company still has a lot of work ahead of it on the anti-cheat and new maps. Also, we have not yet waited for a new operation, but apparently, it is only a matter of time. It will be released only after fixing all the problems of the shooter, of which there are many.