Counter Strike 2’s receiving some big changes that could mean more guns

Gun grid
(Image credit: Valve)

Valve has announced yet another big change to the upcoming competitive FPS title Counter Strike 2

With the mid 2023 release of Counter Strike 2 getting ever closer it seems as if Valve are making some last minute announcements that aren’t at all small. 

Valve took to Twitter to reveal several changes that will launch with the FPS title on release. Some significant changes include the buying screen now letting players refund purchases before the buy phase ends and the replacement of the weapon wheel for a gun grid; both of which takes a page out of Valorant’s playbook.

While the gun grid is ultimately cosmetic, the refund purchase for guns is a much-needed change for this FPS title. Nor only does it remedy the problem brought by an innocent misclick but it helps tactical team strategies within the competitive shooter.

For example, it’ll help solve the problem of you or another teammate buying at the start of the round only to hear someone say “eco”. This is the short and sweet way of saying a team should play an economy round in which they either don’t buy anything or at least buy something cheap like the P250 pistol. You’ll all likely end up running down mid and dying in a blaze of glory but on the bright side you can save money for a full loadout purchasable the next round. 

The biggest change made so far to Counter Strike 2 is the implementation of loadouts. Now players must pick four pistols, five “mid-tier” guns (shotguns/SMGs), and five rifles to create a personal buy menu. 

While loadouts will technically be more limited as you’ll have to leave behind 2-3 guns in each category in reality it shouldn’t affect players too much as people tend to stick to the same few weapons each round. On the bright side it will also let you assign gun combinations, meaning you can now bring along both the silenced M4A1-S or the M4A4. 

While the changes to loadout aren't game-changing it could mean that Valve has some big plans for the future. In fact, this change could indicate that Valve is planning to add more guns to Counter Strike 2 in the future, and doesn’t want to overload new fans with too many options before each round. 

All in all, these changes look to be a positive step forward for the future of the decades old series. Hopefully, these changes will benefit players and ensure Counter Strike 2’s place on our best FPS list

Elie Gould
Features Writer

Elie is a Features Writer for TechRadar Gaming, here to write about anything new or slightly weird. Before writing for TRG, Elie studied for a Masters at Cardiff University JOMEC in International Journalism and Documentaries – spending their free time filming short docs or editing the gaming section for their student publications. 

Elie’s first step into gaming was through Pokémon but they've taken the natural next step in the horror genre. Any and every game that would keep you up at night is on their list to play - despite the fact that one of Elie’s biggest fears is being chased.