StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 officially kicks off the first full Major in the Counter-Strike 2 era – and Valve has celebrated with one of the biggest content drops yet. The update introduces new stickers, the upgraded Viewer Pass, the all-new Sticker Slab feature, and major gameplay improvements across CS2.
Contents
- 1 The Major Content Drop: What’s New in Counter-Strike 2
- 2 Viewer Pass Brings Challenges, Coins, and Souvenirs
- 3 Team & Player Stickers Return
- 4 The CS2 Update: Fixes, Features & Quality-of-Life Upgrades
- 5 Gameplay & Movement Adjustments
- 6 Visual & Performance Enhancements
- 7 Inventory & Store Changes
- 8 Why This Update Matters
- 9 For Fans: A More Interactive Major Experience
- 10 For Collectors: Sticker Slab Could Redefine Value
- 11 For Competitive Integrity: A Polished Stage for the Major
- 12 How to Get Started
- 13 Jump Into Pick’Em
- 14 Build Your Sticker Strategy
- 15 Watch the Market Closely
- 16 Final Thoughts: A Major Step Forward for CS2
The Major Content Drop: What’s New in Counter-Strike 2
Viewer Pass Brings Challenges, Coins, and Souvenirs
The Budapest 2025 Viewer Pass gives fans more ways to engage with the Major:
- Earn and upgrade the Budapest 2025 Coin through event participation.
- Join the Pick’Em Challenge to predict match results and earn souvenir packages.
- Access an Active Pass Leaderboard to compare progress with friends.
The pass once again ties viewership and gameplay together, keeping fans directly involved in the Major storyline.
Team & Player Stickers Return
Each qualified team and player now has a fresh signature sticker available in-game, but this time Valve has added a completely new way to use them: the Sticker Slab.
The Sticker Slab allows players to show off sealed stickers on weapons without permanently applying them – and later “crack” the slab to return the sticker to inventory. It’s the perfect middle ground between display and preservation, especially for collectors protecting high-value items.
The CS2 Update: Fixes, Features & Quality-of-Life Upgrades
Valve didn’t stop at cosmetics. The Budapest Major patch delivers a suite of updates and fixes across Counter-Strike 2:
Gameplay & Movement Adjustments
- Improved jump prediction: fixes misreads of jump presses and apex timings.
- Higher velocity ceiling: sv_maxvelocity limit raised to 16,384 units/sec for smoother high-speed motion.
- Inferno skybox fix: grenades now travel correctly across the map.
Visual & Performance Enhancements
- Glove models now use new AnimGraph2 tech, syncing with first-person animations.
- C4 model now features a realistic pulsing light.
- Longer bullet-decal rendering distance, improving clarity during firefights.
- Updated item-quality color scheme in the Steam Market and web inventory.
Inventory & Store Changes
- Newly purchased Name Tags and StatTrak Swap Tools are no longer tradable or marketable.
- Performance optimizations across menus and rendering pipelines.
You can find the official patch note list here.
Why This Update Matters
For Fans: A More Interactive Major Experience
The Viewer Pass makes spectating a reward-driven activity. Whether you’re chasing souvenir drops or leaderboard bragging rights, the Budapest 2025 Pass ensures every round matters.
For Collectors: Sticker Slab Could Redefine Value
The Sticker Slab system could reshape the CS2 economy – rare signatures and team stickers might now retain value longer, since players can display them without permanent use.
For Competitive Integrity: A Polished Stage for the Major
Small gameplay refinements — like jump-prediction and skybox fixes — reduce inconsistencies at the highest level of play, ensuring a smoother experience for both professionals and spectators.
How to Get Started
Jump Into Pick’Em
Buy the Viewer Pass through the in-game store, make your predictions, and start upgrading your event Coin.
Build Your Sticker Strategy
With the Sticker Slab, you can flex rare decals on your favorite weapons without losing them to permanent application — ideal for players who collect, trade, or simply want style flexibility.
Watch the Market Closely
As always, team performance drives sticker prices. Early investor positioning and monitoring breakout teams can lead to big market moves mid-tournament.
Final Thoughts: A Major Step Forward for CS2
The StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 update shows Valve’s commitment to evolving both the fan experience and the in-game economy. Between the Viewer Pass, Sticker Slab, and the sweeping CS2 refinements, this release cements Counter-Strike 2’s modern identity – blending esports, trading, and creativity into one evolving ecosystem.
Whether you’re a trader, a collector, or a die-hard spectator, the Budapest Major update offers something new for everyone.
