Latest Counter-Strike 2 Update Aims to Improve Damage Feedback

16 May

Ganesh Jadhav

The Counter-Strike 2 updates continue to rain down from Valve. Starting with the Mission Possible update that marked the re-introduction of missions to the game at the start of May, we’ve had 4 updates in just 8 days. While most of these are bug fixes, Valve has also been shipping smaller, quality-of-life (QoL) improvements with each patch.

Earlier today, a similar update hit the game. With patch notes barely crossing 100 words, this might be one of those small package, big impact updates.

Hitsound Delay Removed

With this update, Valve has completely removed the hard-coded body shot hitsound delay. You can read more about the hitsound delay and how it affects your game [here].

Furthermore, body shot hitsounds will now temporarily dampen weapon fire and ambient sounds to make the feedback more pronounced.

Lastly, the shortened AK-47 fire sound improves the shooting experience, allowing players to better differentiate between the sounds of consecutive bullets while spraying. This enhances the overall feel of the AK, making it sound crispier and more responsive.

Shortened front end of the AK-47 fire sound

Reduced delay for body shot impact sounds from the attacker’s perspective

Body shot impact sounds now momentarily reduces the volume of weapon fire and ambience to ensure feedback remains audible

The combined effect of this audio update is a more responsive-sounding game, reducing the dissonance that previously disrupted the player experience. While this doesn’t address the major issues still plaguing the game, it’s definitely a step in the right direction.

Valve’s Update Strategy

As mentioned earlier, Valve has shipped nearly five patches (including today’s) in just eight days. While it's unclear if they’re actively working on solving the game’s deeper issues, these smaller QoL updates are helping to keep players engaged.

Over the week, Valve has populated the Season 2 Premier leaderboard, reintroduced weapon rarity colors in the HUD, fixed multiple bugs, and more. The return of missions and new maps have also breathed new life into Counter-Strike 2, making the community cautiously hopeful about what’s next.

Surprisingly, this might not even be the last update of the month. With the Major on the horizon, a Pick’Em update could land soon. Does Valve truly care about Counter-Strike 2? Let’s not get our hopes too high. For now, just enjoy what we’ve got.

Read the complete patch notes for today’s update [here].

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Featured Image Credits: Valve