Valve has released a major Counter-Strike 2 update with the start of Premier Season Four. The patch brings map reworks, weapon balance changes, technical tweaks, and new content. Here’s what players should know, especially about Anubis, MP7, and MP5-SD.
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Anubis Returns With Gameplay-Altering Changes
A key feature of the Season Four update is Anubis returning to the Active Duty map pool, taking Train’s place in Premier matches. Although Anubis isn’t new, this patch brings major layout changes that affect how both teams play key areas. Notable map changes include:
- The Bridge drop in the Middle has been moved toward the Mid Doors, affecting mid-control paths and engagement timings.
- A hole atop E-box on B has been added, opening up new utility and peek options.
- On A Site, crates have been moved up the steps to give CTs improved cover in key retake and hold scenarios.
- The orientation of the Mid Doors has been flipped, which alters rotation paths between sites.
Players are already debating these changes. Some think the updates help CTs, while others believe the tweaks might give Ts an advantage in certain spots.
SMG Rebalance: MP7 and MP5-SD Buffs
In a surprising move, Valve has buffed two SMGs that were weaker than popular choices like the MAC-10 or MP9.
Here’s a breakdown of the MP7 and MP5-SD changes:
- Increased base damage: Both guns now deal a bit more damage per shot, making them stronger in mid-range fights.
- Reduced damage fall-off: They keep more of their damage at longer ranges, so they feel more reliable.
- Price reduction: Both the MP7 and MP5-SD now cost $1,400 instead of $1,500, making them a bit better for eco or force-buy rounds.
That’s not all. The PP-Bizon also got a $100 price drop, but its damage stayed the same.
These buffs aim to make SMG buys more appealing, especially in early rounds. Still, players are already debating if the stronger MP7 and MP5-SD will change force buys or just help SMG spammers.
Jumping & Movement Tweaks
The update also brings technical changes to movement:
- Landing time and bunny-hop behavior now use subtick precision, refining how jump landings are calculated.
- Jumping and landing no longer consume stamina; instead, landing penalties now scale with the time spent in the air.
- Presses within an sv_bhop_time_window around landing (without penalty) count toward a successful bunnyhop, potentially smoothing out advanced movement techniques.
These changes could have a big impact on movement, especially for players who focus on advanced techniques.
Other Notable Additions
The patch adds more than just map and weapon updates. It also includes:
- New community maps and updated map pool rotations.
- New skin collections and an AK-47 | Aphrodite limited edition item.
- Audio improvements that lower output latency and make sounds, including weapon and utility draws, clearer.
- Armory updates, with seasons and reward changes tied to Premier Season Four.
You can find the official patch notes list here.
A Meta Shift in the Making
This CS2 update is one of Valve’s biggest in months, bringing new maps, weapon tweaks, movement changes, and fresh cosmetics as Premier Seasons restart. It’s too soon to tell how much these changes will affect competitive play, but there’s a lot for all players to explore.
