CS2 Loadout Update Introduces a New Map and QoL Updates
Counter-Strike 2’s summer release is coming closer and closer, and yesterday Valve introduced one of the biggest updates to date to the closed beta of the game. In one update, they introduced a weapon refund system as well as a loadout system. In this article, we’ll go over the biggest changes in the ‘CS2 loadout update’.
Counter-Strike 2 Loadout System + Revamped Buy Menu
Probably the most eye-catching change to the game comes in the form of the CS2 loadout system. Players will now have to create their own loadout to use in competitive games. This means that players will have to pick four pistols, five ‘Mid-Tier’ guns (which includes SMGs as well as shotguns) and five rifles to add to their loadout.
This means that choices will need to be made: there are more than five rifles to choose from, for example, so there’ll be an added tactical element when deciding on which weapons you’ll add to your loadout and which weapons you’ll drop.
The new system also opens up new possibilities. As you can see in the screenshot below, it’s now possible to play with both the M4A4 and the M4A1-S in a single match, should you decide to add both guns to your loadout. This marks a big change for the game, as previously you could only choose one gun.
The radial buy menu has also been dropped. The CS2 buy menu will be neatly displayed on one page, which brings the game in line with VALORANT’s buy menu. This should prevent accidental buys, but there’s even better news for fat-fingered gamers who are prone to buying the wrong gear.
There’ll be Weapon Refunds in CS2
Even in the highest tiers of the professional CS scene you’d occasionally see a player buy the wrong gun. Even though this can make for funny situations, the ability to refund your weapons has been commonly requested, doubly so since VALORANT released with this exact feature.
In CS2, players will be able to refund wrongly bought weapons or other pieces of equipment. This will only work for weapons that haven’t been used and will only work during buy time, so don’t expect to buy an AWP to get a quick pick to then go and sell it, for example.
This change should make the game a lot more consistent, as it will also allow players who bought before an eco call (for example) to refund their weapons and align their economy with the team’s economy, and it also eliminates any chances of misbuying.
Additionally, teammates buy will now be visually displayed on the buy menu, making it easier for players to coordinate their buys and strategies.
– Dust 2 + Mirage
In a swap between the game’s two most prolific maps, Dust 2 has been removed from the limited test and has been replaced with CS2’s Mirage version. No mention of other maps or a release timeline has been released so far.
Other Changes
In addition to a host of bug fixes and smaller changes, VAC’s (Valve Anti Cheat) operating procedures have also been changed significantly. In CS2, once VAC detects a cheater, it will end the match after the currently active round ends. All players in the match except for players who were lobbied with the cheater will receive XP and skill groups will not be affected. In CS:GO, the match would be played in its entirety regardless of any VAC bans during the match.
We’re already discussing what the best CS2 loadout will be, and changes like these make us even more excited to try out the game for ourselves. Time will tell if the CS2 loadout system will present big changes to the overall meta, but with the changes Valve has been making to the game it’s apparent that CS2 won’t just be a reskin of CS:GO. Summer can’t come quick enough.
