CS2 Update Adds New Features
More
23 October 2025 13:02
Valve has released a major update for Counter-Strike 2, reintroducing the official Retakes mode and expanding the Trade Up Contract system — a change that has dramatically affected the game’s in-game economy.
Published on October 22, 2025, the update brings back Retakes, a fan-favorite mode that drops players into 4v3 post-plant scenarios. Teams must either defend or defuse the bomb with limited weapons and equipment, creating fast-paced, tactical rounds designed for competitive play.
Alongside the mode’s return, Valve introduced several improvements to Inferno, one of the game’s most iconic maps. The adjustments focus on improving visibility, specifically at the top of Quad and underneath the Balcony, to make engagements clearer and fairer.
The update’s biggest talking point, however, is the expanded Trade Up Contract. Players can now combine five Covert-grade items to receive a guaranteed knife or pair of gloves — two of the rarest item categories in Counter-Strike. This change has caused massive disruption to the CS2 skin market, wiping out more than $1.75 billion (around £1.3 billion) in value as rare items became easier to obtain.
Valve also rolled out several performance tweaks, including updates to “Molotov and Smoke interaction logic when multiple smokes are active on the map,” further refining gameplay consistency.
While players welcomed the return of Retakes servers, the reaction to the economic overhaul has been divided. Former Head of YouTube Gaming Ryan “Fwiz” Wyatt criticized the move, saying:
“Counter-Strike rugged its entire community. They just rinsed everyone in the market who had anything of any value.”
Related news
View AllFURIA has been crowned the champion of the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Chengdu 2025, defeating Team Vitality 3-0 in the...
More
Nov 11, 2025
After a multi-year hiatus, North American esports and lifestyle powerhouse 100 Thieves has made its long-awaited return to competitive Counter-Strike....
Sponsorships
Nov 11, 2025
Liam 'MaiL09' Tügel, a 16-year-old Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) player, has made history by setting the highest ELO rating ever on...
More
Nov 06, 2025
PGL has announced that it will host two more Tier 1 Counter-Strike 2 events in 2027, bringing the total number...
More
Nov 03, 2025
In a significant blow to the CCT Europe Season 3, a series of player bans have been handed out following...
More
Oct 03, 2025
More
23 October 2025 13:02
Valve has released a major update for Counter-Strike 2, reintroducing the official Retakes mode and expanding the Trade Up Contract system — a change that has dramatically affected the game’s in-game economy.
Published on October 22, 2025, the update brings back Retakes, a fan-favorite mode that drops players into 4v3 post-plant scenarios. Teams must either defend or defuse the bomb with limited weapons and equipment, creating fast-paced, tactical rounds designed for competitive play.
Alongside the mode’s return, Valve introduced several improvements to Inferno, one of the game’s most iconic maps. The adjustments focus on improving visibility, specifically at the top of Quad and underneath the Balcony, to make engagements clearer and fairer.
The update’s biggest talking point, however, is the expanded Trade Up Contract. Players can now combine five Covert-grade items to receive a guaranteed knife or pair of gloves — two of the rarest item categories in Counter-Strike. This change has caused massive disruption to the CS2 skin market, wiping out more than $1.75 billion (around £1.3 billion) in value as rare items became easier to obtain.
Valve also rolled out several performance tweaks, including updates to “Molotov and Smoke interaction logic when multiple smokes are active on the map,” further refining gameplay consistency.
While players welcomed the return of Retakes servers, the reaction to the economic overhaul has been divided. Former Head of YouTube Gaming Ryan “Fwiz” Wyatt criticized the move, saying:
“Counter-Strike rugged its entire community. They just rinsed everyone in the market who had anything of any value.”
Related news
View AllFURIA has been crowned the champion of the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Chengdu 2025, defeating Team Vitality 3-0 in the...
More
Nov 11, 2025
After a multi-year hiatus, North American esports and lifestyle powerhouse 100 Thieves has made its long-awaited return to competitive Counter-Strike....
Sponsorships
Nov 11, 2025
Liam 'MaiL09' Tügel, a 16-year-old Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) player, has made history by setting the highest ELO rating ever on...
More
Nov 06, 2025
PGL has announced that it will host two more Tier 1 Counter-Strike 2 events in 2027, bringing the total number...
More
Nov 03, 2025
In a significant blow to the CCT Europe Season 3, a series of player bans have been handed out following...
More
Oct 03, 2025