Valve has recently introduced a new update for CS2, featuring five community-created maps spanning various game modes. While players eagerly anticipated the arrival of a new Operation alongside these maps, it seems that there are no signs of one yet.
Mills and Thera
Credit: Valve
Among the newly added maps in the CS2 update are Mills and Thera, geared towards 5v5 game modes and Deathmatch. Especially intriguing is Thera, developed by FMPONE, the creator of Cache. It served as a testing ground for Source 2 map-making tools before work on the Cache remake, making it a compelling addition for competitive play.
Assembly and Memento
Credit: Valve
For Wingman mode, Valve has introduced Assembly and Memento, two well-crafted workshop maps that now find their place in the official game rotation. These maps offer a fresh alternative for players looking to spice up their Wingman experience.
Pool Day
Credit: Valve
The return of Pool Day to Arms Race matchmaking brings a nostalgic touch for CS veterans, originally hailing from 1.6. Despite its age, Pool Day remains a beloved map with intense gameplay that now shines in the CS2 environment.
Competitive Mode changes and more
Additionally, the update includes a revamp of map-based skill groups in Competitive Matchmaking, reducing the number of wins required to earn a skill group. This adjustment aims to provide a more balanced competitive experience for all players. Moreover, new MVP features and animations have been introduced for Premier matches, hinting at potential future enhancements.
While the absence of a new Operation is disappointing, the influx of new maps is a welcome change. Below, you can find the full patch notes for the latest CS2 update:
CS2 Release Notes for 6/25/2024
[ MAPS ]
- Added community maps Thera and Mills to Competitive, Casual, and Deathmatch map groups
- Added community maps Memento and Assembly to the Wingman map pool
- Added community map Pool Day to the Arms Race map pool
- Fixed c4 stuck spots
- Fixed c4 stuck spots, holes in the world, and non-solids causing problems
- Fixed c4 stuck spots and clipping
- Fixes for grenade collision and clipping
[ UI ]
- Updated the MVP panel in all game modes
- Added all-new animated MVP panels to Premier matches
- Added several new MVP conditions and adjusted prior MVP rules
[ GAMEPLAY ]
- In Competitive Matchmaking, per-map skill groups are now revealed after you earn two wins on a map.
[ VIDEO SETTINGS ]
- Settings Recommendations
- Added a Settings Recommendation popup if your display’s refresh rate is set below its maximum at startup. Using your display’s highest refresh rate is generally recommended.
- Added a Settings Recommendation popup if NVIDIA G-Sync support is detected but not enabled at startup. Using G-Sync is generally recommended if your system supports it.
- Added a Settings Recommendation popup if NVIDIA G-Sync is enabled but not V-Sync and/or NVIDIA Reflex. It is generally recommended to enable all three settings together when they are available. Note that applying these settings will limit your frame rate to your display’s refresh rate or slightly lower, which is usually the smoothest-looking and lowest input latency settings combination. See https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/418E-7A04-B0DA-9032 for technical details.
- Removed “Main Menu Background Scenery” and “Item Inspect Background Scenery” settings from the Video Settings page. These settings are still available on the Main Menu and in the Item Inspect screens respectively.
- The “Refresh Rate” setting now shows your display’s current refresh rate in Windowed and Fullscreen Windowed modes.
- Removed the “Laptop Power Savings” setting which has never actually been configurable in CS2.
- Added a “Frame Pacing” section to the Advanced Video settings page.
- Added an “NVIDIA G-Sync” row to the Frame Pacing section which tells you whether or not G-Sync is active with your current display settings. This row may be hidden if you’re using the Vulkan renderer or if you’re not using an NVIDIA graphics card.
- Added “Maximum FPS In Game” and “Maximum FPS In Menus” sliders to the Frame Pacing section. These control the fps_max and fps_max_ui convars respectively.
- Increased the default “Maximum FPS In Menus” setting from 120 FPS to 200 FPS.
- The Advanced Video visual preview now uses the “In Game” maximum FPS instead of the “In Menus” maximum.
