Valve has kicked off Season 5 of Counter-Strike 2 Premier and unveiled a major update. The highlight of the update was a rotation of maps in the Active Duty pool —Overpass has been removed from the main roster, and Cache has taken its place.
In addition to changes to the map, the developers have completely overhauled the mechanics of the C4 explosion. Now, after planting the bomb, players will take damage not from an instant explosion, but from a shockwave that radiates out from the planting point. Its strength will depend on the player’s location, the map’s layout, and any obstacles in its path.
The new system takes into account the geometry of locations: walls, corners, and other objects can alter the impact of an explosion. In addition, before detonation, the character’s health bar will display the approximate amount of damage taken, allowing players to better assess risks during gameplay.
Valve has also worked on optimizing effective range on all official maps for neutralization, and with this update, it has added new weapon and sticker collections.
Among other changes is an optimization of the results table, which previously could significantly reduce the frame rate when opened. It now consumes fewer system resources. The developers have also updated the Source 2 engine codebase, added several community-created maps, and made a number of minor tweaks to Cache, Dust2, and Inferno.