Huge new CS2 update adds Rush Hour, Silent reload, and more

Valve has been cooking something up, it seems, and it does smell quite good. Yes, the developer has released a massive new Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) update that will make many fans happy, and some a bit angry, as is tradition on the internet.

First and foremost, there’s Rush Hour, a brand-new, fast-paced game mode from Valve. It’s a 3v3 affair that you can queue for in CS2.

Valve explains: “Experience the push and pull as you advance through a gauntlet of randomly-selected battle arenas, and dominate your opponent to win the match! Make the most of your limited budget and precious time to clear the objective. Control the tower when you eliminate the enemy team (or time expires) to win the round.“

There’s also a rather significant change to how maps are picked during the Veto process in Premier Mode. Don’t worry, it isn’t complicated. Here’s how it works now:

• Team 1 picks one map
• Team 2 picks two maps
• Team 1 picks a final map.
• One of the four maps will be randomly selected and the match will begin.

In terms of gameplay, a big change is that unscoping a sniper weapon no longer produces any sound. Then, there’s the most significant gameplay change: you can now silently reload your weapon. It does take longer, but could be worth it in many situations. Simply press and hold your reload key.

A bit of a fun one is that chickens can now take damage from the Zeus x27. Try that out…it’s quite hilarious! There are also more visible bullet impacts, and a host of other small tweaks.

We recommend you check out the official announcement and full patch notes, but the changes and additions mentioned are definitely the biggest.