Valve Drops New CS2 Update Ahead of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025

Valve has released a fresh Counter-Strike 2 update just before the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, introducing the official tournament hub, new cosmetic items, gameplay fixes, and several quality-of-life upgrades. The full patch notes have been posted on the official CS2 site, and here’s a fully rewritten, polished breakdown👇

🏆 MAJOR UPDATE: StarLadder Budapest Major Hub Is Live

The dedicated Budapest Major 2025 Hub is now available in CS2, giving players direct access to all Major-related features:

• Explore the tournament hub and access Pick’Em, items, and more.
• Purchase the Budapest 2025 Viewer Pass to unlock an upgradable event coin.
• With the Viewer Pass active, players can:Upgrade their Budapest 2025 Coin through Pick’Em progress.
• Earn additional Souvenir Packages.
• Appear on the Active Pass Leaderboard, comparing Pick’Em results with friends.

🛒 STORE UPDATES

• Added a new cosmetic: Sticker Slab, a charm that seals any sticker and attaches to weapons.You can crack the slab at any time to return the sticker to your inventory.
• Name Tags and StatTrak™ Swap Tools purchased from the store are now non-tradable and cannot be listed on the Community Market.

🎮 GAMEPLAY FIXES

• Increased the maximum possible sv_maxvelocity to 16,384 units/second (default remains 3500), paving the way for future movement adjustments.
• Fixed a bug causing clients to mispredict jump inputs.
• Fixed a separate issue where clients would mispredict jump apexes, improving movement accuracy.

🗺️ MAP FIXES

• Inferno: Resolved a skybox bug that previously blocked grenades, restoring intended utility lineups.

🔧 MISC IMPROVEMENTS

• Increased the default rendering distance for bullet decals, enhancing visual clarity.
• Updated glove models and animations in the UI/inventory to use Animgraph2, matching in-game behavior.
• Re-enabled the pulsing light on the C4 when viewed in first-person.
• CS item colors in the Steam Community Market and Web Inventory now match in-game item quality tiers.
• General performance optimizations applied across the board.

🎫 BUDAPEST 2025 VIEWER PASS

Players can now support their favorite teams and earn exclusive rewards:

• Budapest 2025 Coin (upgradable)
• Souvenir Tokens
• Exclusive Playoff Souvenir Charms

The StarLadder Budapest Major runs November 24 – December 14, 2025, in Hungary, featuring a $1.25 million prize pool.