Counter-Strike 2 Update brings Anubis changes, new skins, maps, and weapon adjustments

Counter-Strike 2’s latest update has brought about significant changes to the tactical shooter, including new skins, maps, and weapon adjustments.

Additionally, Anubis received five notable changes as it re-enters the active duty map pool, altering the dynamics of the most T-sided map in Counter-Strike.

The 5 meta-defining changes to Anubis

Following criticism of the challenge that CTs faced in holding Anubis’ space and sites, Valve has made five significant tweaks to the map to rebalance the odds.

1. Mid Drop

The most striking of these changes is the decision to move the Mid Drop away from neutral space, towards CT-controlled territory in the early round.

The drop has moved from the middle of Mid to the space opposite Double Doors, making it easier for CTs to control the space.

The space overlooks Canals, and allows for quick rotations through B Dark, if you’re brave enough.

2. Double Doors

Double Doors on Mid was one of the most talked about issues with the map, with some suggesting the doors be moved up Mid to allow for easier CT control.

Instead, Valve have opted for a tried and tested alteration. The doors’ orientations are reversed, giving CTs better vision into mid, and a straight line to the new Mid Drop.

Veteran players will remember that switching the orientation of double doors has been an impactful change in the past, especially on Dust 2.

3. A Box

Moving onto the A bombsite, Valve decided to move the box at the bottom of the A stairs to the top of the stairs.

The change alters sightlines both from Camera/A Conn and from Pillar, providing cover for both teams from either position.

The change should allow for more nerdy off-angles in the site, and allow CTs to hold A Main without having to worry about being sniped from Camera.

4. A Scaffolding

Valve also added protective scaffolding above the Headshot position in Plateau/Plat.

The scaffolding provides a roof which will seemingly prevent utility raining down on the position, or immediately behind it in Heaven.

While theoretically providing some protection for the CTs, I wouldn’t underestimate the ability of Counter-Strike’s community to come up with new utility in a matter of days.

5. B E-Box hole

E-box, Connector, Dark, whatever you want to call it, it’s got a new hole in it.

The hole, located above the eponymous electricity box, will allow CTs to deploy utility after losing presence in the position.

Alternatively, the Ts can now use it to molly out Ninja, one of the only CTs’ good positions on the site.

As such, it will be interesting to see who the alteration favours when matches begin to be played.

Counter-Strike 2 update gameplay changes

The update featured several notable changes to SMGs, increasing damage, reducing damage falloff, and decreasing the price of the MP7 and MP5-SD by $100.

The PP-Pizon also saw a $100 discount, but received no new buffs.

The update also saw five new community maps added to various modes, at the cost of the removal of Golden, Palacio, Agency, and Rooftop.

Alpine, Stronghold, and Warden are added to the Deathmatch, Competitive, and Casual modes.

Two new wingman maps also feature, with the Aztec-themed Sanctum and the modernised mythological look of Poseidon.

Warden, Stronghold, and Alpine to Competitive, Casual, and Deathmatch modes.

Valve also made further changes to jumping and landing, with subtick being a particular sore spot for the CS movement community.

CS2 update adds new skins and removes old weekly drops

The update also saw the additions of two new dropping skins collections, the colourful Harlequin Collection and the colourless Achroma Collection.

A new Limited Item also appeared in the Armory, the AK-47 Aphrodite. The gun can be earned by accumulating Armory 125 stars, making it far more expensive than any previous Limited Edition Item.

The update also saw the removal of the Safehouse, Dust 2, 2018 Nuke, and the 2018 Inferno Collections from the active drop pool.

Weekly drops are typically used as fillers for expensive tradeups, meaning their removal could have a marked impact on the Counter-Strike skins economy.

Counter-Strike 2 January 21 Patch Notes in full:

[ PREMIER ]

• Premier Season Four has begun
• Added Anubis to the Active Duty Map Pool
• Removed Train from the Active Duty Map Pool

[ COMPETITIVE ]

• Adjusted underlying per-map competitive matchmaking rank values. Existing per-map competitive Skill Groups have been expired, and will be displayed again once the player obtains the required number of wins

[ GAMEPLAY ]

• Minor adjustments to the MP7 and MP5-SD:
  • Slightly increased damage
  • Slightly reduced damage fall-off
  • Reduced price by $100.
• Reduced price of the PP-Bizon by $100.
• Jump changes:
  • Landing time is now calculated with subtick precision
  • Jumping and landing no longer affect stamina. The landing speed penalty is now a simple function of landing time
  • Any jump press within sv_bhop_time_window centered on the landing time that hasn’t been penalized by sv_jump_spam_penalty_time will be treated as a successful bunnyhop
  • Legacy jump behavior can be restored on private servers with sv_legacy_jump
• Map Guides can now be loaded in online games of casual and retakes (via the ESC menu)

[ SOUND ] 

• Reduced audio output latency
• Higher fidelity knife draw and inspect sounds
• Weapon, knife and utility draw sounds no longer overlap when switching quickly between them
• Knife impact sounds are now unique based on primary fire or alt fire swings as well as front and rear attacks. This reflects the different damage amounts dealt with each attack 
• Ambient sounds no longer restart from the beginning when transitioning between zones

[ WEEKLY CARE PACKAGE ]

• Added two all-new weapon collections to the Weekly Care Package drop list: Harlequin, Achroma
• Removed four weapon collections from the Weekly Care Package drop list: Safehouse, Dust 2, 2018 Nuke Collection, and the 2018 Inferno Collection

[ ARMORY ]

• Added a new Limited Edition Item: the AK47 | Aphrodite

[ MISC ]

• Increased material fidelity on some of the base guns:
  • Ak47
  • Aug
  • AWP
  • Berettas
  • Deagle
  • Galil
  • Mac-10
  • MP7
  • P250
  • Tec9
  • USP-S
  • Bizon
  • Cz75a
  • Famas
  • MP9

• Changed voice status behavior to always show a mic for local player if mic is open 
• Fixed a bug related to Deathcam intersection
• Fixed some cases where the player would collide with internal edges while sliding along a ramp in surf mode
• Improved the resolution of the PVS for some static level geometry
• Fixed some small interpenetrations in Butterfly Knife animations
• Fixed a case where blood decals weren’t appearing

[ MAP SCRIPTING ]

• Fixed a bug where activator was sometimes incorrect for func_door outputs OnOpen, OnFullyOpen, OnClose, and OnFullyClosed
  • Added BaseModelEntity.GetModelName
  • Added BaseModelEntity.GetModelScale
  • Added BaseModelEntity.GetColor
  • Added BaseModelEntity.IsGlowing

[ MAPS ]

• Removed community maps: Golden, Palacio, Agency, and Rooftop from all game modes
• Added community maps Warden, Stronghold, and Alpine to Competitive, Casual, and Deathmatch modes
• Added community maps Sanctum and Poseidon to Wingman mode

Anubis

• Bridge drop moved near Mid Doors
• Mid doors orientation reversed
• Hole added between E-box and Back of B
• Bombsite A crates moved up steps on to Walkway
• Scaffolding added to pillar on Bombsite A