Major CS2 Update Rumored to be Imminent: What to Expect and When

Rumors are circulating that a significant new update for CS2 is imminent. Throughout 2024, Valve has consistently released a major CS2 update each month, but they missed this schedule in July, which suggests that a new update is overdue.

Popular Valve dataminer aquaismissing has confirmed that a new backup of CS2 has been uploaded to Steam. This typically happens only when a major update is on the horizon so that tournaments can revert to the previous build if any issues arise.

As with every new CS2 update, Valve is characteristically secretive about it. We know something is coming, but we don’t have any specifics. Here, we'll speculate about what the next big CS2 update might include and when it could be released.

New CS2 Operation

This is mostly speculation, but there's a possibility that a new CS2 Operation is in the works and could be part of the next update. For some time now, comic-book-style assets have been found in CS2’s game files, presumably for future use since they’re not currently in the game. Adding fuel to the fire, dataminer aquaismissing recently retweeted an old post with just three words: Operation Vampire Bat.

As we move into the latter half of 2024, it could be an ideal time to launch a spooky-themed Operation. If this is the case, it would likely be released sooner rather than later to give players time to enjoy everything the Operation has to offer. Again, this is all speculation.

Overwatch

In April, Valve reintroduced Dust 2 into the map pool with a significant CS2 update. As part of that patch, Valve announced that the community-regulated anti-cheat system from CS, Overwatch, had been reintroduced to the game. However, many players found they were unable to access Overwatch, and four months later, the system is still inaccessible.

While Overwatch files have been added to the game, Valve needs to enable them with another update. CS2 currently faces a major cheating problem, and a big CS2 update could finally bring back Overwatch. We certainly hope so.

When Will the New CS2 Update Be Released?

These are the two most logical content updates we anticipate, but as for timing, IEM Cologne 2024 is about to begin. Valve demonstrated at Katowice earlier this year that it doesn't mind releasing game-changing patches mid-tournament, so this might not be a concern for them. With backend updates to CS2 showing up on SteamDB, it's likely that the new CS2 update is just days away, if not sooner. Let’s hope it’s a substantial one.