An end of an era for CS:GO fans have come, as the title's latest major update that introduces a multitude of new features and noteworthy changes, includes a rework of Counter Strike's most iconic map, Dust 2. CS:GO’s 11th Operation, Operation Riptide, went live Tuesday night, bringing some of the biggest changes Valve's famous multiplayer first-person shooter has seen in years.
Dust 2 has appeared in every Counter Strike game to date and continues to receive positive reception from competitive players and mapmakers alike that consider it to be Counter Strike's most popular and prototypical map. Created with the aim of simplicity and balance, based on its symmetrical design and two points, the map has only seen minor changes and improvements in the past, with readability, visuals, and movement upgrades, following CS:GO's graphical updates. Professional players and community members have also shown disapproval in the past, due to Valve removing the map in competitive events. This has proven that even Valve's minor changes regarding Dust 2 can result in backlash within the CS:GO community.
Posted on their official Twitter account, CS:GO's developers gave a quick demonstration of some of the changes that are coming to Dust 2 in the latest Riptide update. One of the biggest changes that will have a major effect on the map is shown to be that the original sightline from T spawn to mid from the attacker’s side, has now been replaced with a solid wall. This guarantees that defenders will no longer get spawn killed at the start of rounds and that attackers are unable to have a direct line of sight to the double doors from spawn. The mid corridor on Dust 2 has been an infamous spot over the years and has steadily allowed both teams to get early kills and deal huge amounts of damage. Most notably, attackers could use the AWP sniper rifle at the vantage point to pick off defenders, who would be forced to buy smoke grenades to ensure they could safely get to one side of the map. Besides the major change, Dust 2 has also received improved B back site visibility, slightly allowing attackers to easily spot defenders at the back of B site from upper tunnels.
CS:GO is one of the biggest competitive games in the world and possesses a massive esports scene. Although almost a decade old, the title is continuously modernized by Valve. Its first major update in 2019, Operation Shattered Web, introduced new character models and a battle pass system similar to Fortnite in the form of purchasable DLC. These Operations continued to be released in the span of two years, with the recent Operation Riptide being Valves' biggest update to date.
While it is unsure how the community will act towards Dust 2's significant change, the previous backlash has resulted in Valve rejuvenating the map. Players who are unmoved with the decision, however, can look forward to tons of new additions in Operation Riptide, including new maps and skins, a renovated mission system, shorter competitive matches, private queues, balance changes, and five new cases and collections to officially kick off another season of CS:GO.
CS:GO is available on PC.
Source: CSGO/Twitter