Counter-Strike 2 major update sees return of Arms Race

Arms Race has returned to Counter-Strike thanks to a new CS2 patch.

"Grab your guns and brace yourself for a chaotic race to the top," the Counter-Strike 2 team implored. "Work your way up to the knife stage and earn the final kill to secure the win. Go! Go! Go!"

This mode also comes with two maps, known as "Baggage" and "Shoots", for players to blast their way around. These are reworked versions of the maps that appeared in CS:GO. Baggage - which is set in an airport bagging handling facility - even has player-operated controls for the conveyer belts in the level.

Along with Arms Race's series return, Valve has also added in a sizable number of tweaks and fixes to the gameplay and cosmetics. For example, players can now freely place stickers on their weapons, allowing for more creative freedom.

There is also a new weapons case known as the Kilowatt Case. This features "17 community-designed weapon finishes, and the Kukri Knife with original finishes as a rare special item". Other additions include a new music kit and an "XP overload" cosmetic feature, which for some reason I just wrote as overlord.

On the gameplay side of things, Valve has added a setting to disable first person bullet tracers and, welcomingly, player pings are no longer blocked by invisible geometry. It has also reduced peeker's advantage "in many cases", Valve said, and smoke now casts shadows.

You can read the full Counter-Strike 2 notes via the embed below.

MAJOR Counter-Strike 2 update for 2/6/24 (2/7/24 UTC, A Call to Arms)
byu/wickedplayer494 inGlobalOffensive

Back in January, it was said Valve likely made over $1bn last year from loot boxes in Counter-Strike 2. According to statistics, $980m was spent by players on keys for cases, the free-to-play game's loot box equivalent.