Valve has rolled out another small update to Counter-Strike 2, focusing primarily on additional refinements to the Ancient map. Following the application of new shaders in a previous patch, the developers have now modified the map’s daytime soundscape and resolved an issue where items were becoming trapped behind rubble on the T side of B site.
Beyond Audio and Debris Fixes
The changes to this Active Duty map extend beyond sound and rubble improvements. Valve has redesigned roof decorations on the house near CT spawn and reinstated wallbanging capabilities through the plywood in the cave area. The update also addresses issues with fullscreen windowed mode, ensuring players can properly fill their screens regardless of display dimensions. Additionally, “various stability fixes” have been implemented to maintain smooth gameplay performance.
Released on August 18th, this marks the second CS2 update within a week. The previous patch on August 14th upgraded Ancient to the latest shaders, introduced a night-time version of the map, and made several animation adjustments. This update is likely the final one before the game features at the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where 16 teams will compete for a portion of the $1.25m prize pool.
Community Response
Given the nature of these changes, the Ancient adjustments aren’t expected to significantly impact the competitive meta. The restored ability to shoot through the plywood in cave creates opportunities for players to deal damage while remaining protected behind cover.
Despite Valve’s ongoing optimisation efforts, community members continue to call for improved anti-cheat measures to prevent hackers from disrupting matches, with comments like “Anti-cheat?” appearing frequently. Many players are also persistently requesting the return of Cache to Active Duty status.