Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has remained a global phenomenon for over a decade. Valve’s latest entry in the popular fps franchise took the world by storm, and it continues to be among the most-played games on Steam.

The title has continued receiving support and updates from the developer, but the most recent update could prove controversial. Valve has now removed the iconic map Dust 2 from CS:GO for competitive tournaments.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Dust 2
Dan Brindley Johnson’s Artwork

The recent update made several changes to the classic first-person shooter title. Valve has announced that Dust 2 is being replaced by Anubis. This map was initially introduced in 2020 but has not been picked for competitive CS:GO tournaments.

It should be noted that fans can still enjoy the beloved Dust 2 in Casual, Deathmatch, and Competitive playlists. However, this change will affect the professional CS:GO scene. The classic Dust 2 will no longer be playable in tournaments, and this change will be in effect at the 2023 Paris Major.

Valve has also made a few balance changes to the guns in the game. The popular AWP has seen its magazine size reduced to just five bullets, and the M4A1-S has seen damage nerf at long ranges. 

This news might come as a shock to long-time CS:GO players. Dust 2 has been a massive part of the Counter-Strike franchise, dating back to titles such as CS 1.6. 

Perhaps Valve is working on revamping the map for a better experience, but it remains to be seen how the professional community will react to this latest change. At the very least, fans can rest assured that the map is not going away entirely, and casual playlists can still access the iconic Counter-Strike map.

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Avinash Jaisrani
[News Reporter] Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than three years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.