Counter-Strike 2 Update Adds Ambidextrous Support, Adjusts Buy Menu

Counter-Strike 2 updates tend to be small and focused, and Valve's latest patch to its highly popular shooter is no different. The recent update added a number of quality-of-life improvements to the game, including a revamped buy menu and the ability to temporarily switch your player character's handedness mid-round.

The Counter-Strike series has allowed players to choose between right-handed and left-handed views for years, but this is the first time that you can switch the setting in the middle of a heated round. By default, it's bound to the H key. Additionally, the handedness of each player is now visible to first-person spectators, which is a nice detail.

This April update includes a few new additions to the series's classic buy menu. In the top-right corner, it now displays the minimum amount of money you're guaranteed to have next round, which you can obviously improve on by winning the round or notching some kills. It also features a "dropped weapons" panel that allows you to see and pick up any weapons that you or teammates drop in the buy-zone, which will be quite useful in certain situations.

This update also added some minor gameplay adjustments. For example, the taser-like Zeus weapon had its movement speed and attack cone changed, and its kill reward was increased from $0 to $100. It also introduced a grenade line-up reticle that can be fully customized, for those players who know exactly where to throw that smoke. In other Counter-Strike 2 news, Valve brought fan-favorite mode Gun Game to the sequel back in February.

Counter-Strike 2 April 25 Update Patch Notes

VIEWMODEL

• Adjusted viewmodel bob movement
• Added "Preferred Viewmodel Left/Right Handedness" setting
• Added "Switch Viewmodel Left/Right Hand" key binding (default: US keyboard letter H) to switch hands temporarily during gameplay
• Viewmodel position setting and left/right hand state are now networked and visible to first-person spectators.
• Deprecated "Couch" viewmodel position setting

HUD

• Added "Radar Map Alternate Zoom" setting and "Toggle Radar Zoom" key binding to toggle between zoom levels during gameplay
• Added a radar icon for the local player when free cam spectating
• Added a grenade line-up reticle that appears shortly after pulling the pin. The timing can be configured for each grenade type independently
• Changed weapon Swap text (when pointing at a dropped weapon) to always show the gameplay name of the weapon instead of any customized name it might have.
• Added a kill feed icon for "in-air" kills
• Added the scoreboard to the ESC menu
• Added an icon to indicate bots on the scoreboard

BUY MENU

• Added a "Dropped Weapons" panel, which shows (and allows the direct pickup of) weapons that have been dropped by teammates that are standing in the buy zone
• Added the minimum amount of money that a player is guaranteed to have in the next round to the buy menu title bar. (thanks, Kadomos)

GAMEPLAY

• Increased Zeus movement speed and adjusted the attack cone
• Increased Zeus kill reward from $0 to $100 ($50 in Casual)
• Increased CZ75-Auto kill reward from $100 to $300 ($150 in Casual)
• Reduced XM1014 kill reward from $900 to $600 ($300 in Casual)

INVENTORY

• Lighting adjustments in Inspect background maps
• Added Wear Category to the info tooltip in the Inspect screen
• Added gameplay name in panels that used to only show customized name. E.g., Inspect screen, inventory tile

MAPS

• Replaced Overpass with Dust 2 in the Active Duty Group, current competition map pool, and Premier matchmaking
• Baggage
  
  • Opened roll-up doors at spawns
  • Updated models for some conveyors
  • Solidified stairs
  • Various bug fixes
• Inferno:
  
  • Removed overhanging building at top mid
  • Removed overhangs at bottom of banana
  • Various map tweaks to improve player collision and readability
• Overpass, Nuke, Vertigo, Mirage and Office
  
  • Bug and exploit fixes
  • Collision and line of sight adjustments
  • Minor performance improvements

WEAPON FINISHES

• AK-47 | Inheritance: Texture and mask adjustments
• USP-S | Jawbreaker: Corrected ambient occlusion texture

MISC

• Decoupled demo playback camera movement from playback speed. This allows moving the camera even if playback is paused
• Added ability to launch practice matches and workshop maps with party members
• Added Overwatch system to enable match demo review by trusted partners
• Copenhagen 2024 Major sticker capsules are on sale now -75% off
• Added ability to adjust brightness in windowed modes