Valve has announced changes to the active map pool by adding Anubis and removing Dust2 ahead of the CS:GO 2023 Paris Major. Weapon changes in the form of AWP and M4A1-S nerfs also came with the update.
CS:GO will see a new map join the active map pool with Anubis joining in the most recent patch. The map will replace Dust2, one of the longest-standing maps in the active rotation. Dust2 will still be playable in casual, competitive and deathmatch in CS:GO, according to the Valve announcement.
Dust2 has been a staple of CS:GO esports, going back to the Counter-Strike days. It was officially released in Counter-Strike Patch 1.1 back in 2013. The change comes right after the Rio 2022 Major and ahead of the 2023 esports season.
The update also brings some big changes to weapons in the game, as the AWP will not only have 5 bullets in its magazine, and the M4A1-S has had its range modifier changed from 0.99 to 0.94. The changes should have a significant impact on pro play as well, as the AWP is still a popular power weapon for teams to pick up and the M4A1-S has been a strong option as a rifle.
CS:GO sees the removal of longstanding map Dust2
The CS:GO community has reacted in a somber way to the news of the Dust2 removal. The map was a staple pick as a decider map in many esports series and even has a CS:GO esports publication named after it.
Some have reacted positively to the news as many have been clamoring for an update to the active map pool. The game’s player base will see the changes implemented on November 18 and have a chance to acclimate to the new update ahead of the 2023 Paris Major which is set to start on May 8.
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