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May 15, 2023

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Valve reveals a comprehensive set of updates to how Counter-Strike 2's weapon

Valve reveals a comprehensive set of updates to how Counter-Strike 2's weapon selection screen works, suggesting a framework for future additions.

Counter-Strike 2 is changing how the game's core loadout mechanics work, as Valve announced a fairly comprehensive set of changes both to the system's visuals and which weapons players might have access to. The game is supposed to be coming out sometime in Summer 2023, and following the initial burst of information pushed out by Valve, there's not been much in the way of news about it otherwise.

While it remains to be seen whether Counter-Strike 2 is a true game-changer, everything shown so far does point to this being the case. Virtually every aspect of its gameplay is being refreshed in some way, shape, or form, and so it should come as no surprise that the old weapon selection wheel is being done away with.

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Specifically, it seems that Counter-Strike 2 has taken a cue from Valorant's own weapon selection mechanics, as the wheel is being entirely removed and will be replaced with a custom grid instead. This grid will play host to 5 different pistols, 5 "mid-tier" weapons like submachine guns and shotguns, and 5 rifles and carbines. Aside from the factions' classic starting pistols, players will otherwise be able to customize all the other slots, but it does mean that they'll be leaving some of the weapons back in their armories, making them inaccessible mid-match.

Aside from possibly looking at Valorant's weapon selection mechanics for menu inspirations, the newly imposed 15-weapon limit suggests other novelties for the game, too. Notably, Valve has already shown that it's not against adding all-new weapons to the game, as shown with CS:GO's legendary R8 revolver. Now that players will be forced to pick and choose their 15 favorite weapons for any given match, Valve won't need to worry about overloading the weapon selection wheel with additional options and may end up adding more guns over the course of Counter-Strike 2's lifetime.

It's worth highlighting, too, that Counter-Strike 2's weapon skins now support geometric differences between weapon models. There won't be a huge array of differences between one M4A1 skin and another, of course, but players can expect to see different suppressors, sights, grips, and other elements every so often, as shown in Valve's initial showcase videos.

A good, albeit subtle change also comes from Valve's gambling policy changes for CS:GO. Steam now condemns a variety of activities that were previously considered to be fair game for skin gambling, such as commercial activity engagement, and it's possible that this will result in a healthier and fairer environment for Counter-Strike 2's skin economy. Only time will tell, however, if the changes are reflected in a meaningful way.

Counter-Strike 2 launches Summer 2023 on PC.

MORE: Counter-Strike 2 Has a Decade of Hindsight on CS:GO's Biggest Issues

Filip is a long-time gamer and writer with ample experience in both of these industries. Having started his gaming adventure with the venerable PSX, Filip soon discovered dedicated gaming magazines, which set the stage for everything that came afterward. He majored in linguistics and philosophy, which lend themselves well to creative and technical writing, allowing Filip to stack bylines with a huge number of publications.