'Counter-Strike: GO' news: Valve reworks old Dust 2 map, unveils new version

The update to Dust 2 for "CS:GO" favors fewer ambush spots like dark tunnels, and makes the map brighter.Steam/CS:GO

It seems Valve will not leave its "Counter-Strike" franchise in the dust, as an updated version of the Dust 2 map for "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive" (CS:GO) has just been revealed.

Dust 2 is now making a comeback in "CS:GO" after having been removed from the competitive playlist of the first-person shooter (FPS). The changes that took place in the new map include the shrinkage of some of the cover points, like the large bullet-proof boxes in Point A of the Dust 2, which was previously a favorite hiding spot for snipers and campers waiting for an easy kill. A telephone pole in the long corridor from the Terrorists spawn point was also moved.

These small changes in Dust 2 will drastically alter the players' approach in a game session since previous hiding and sniping spots will not be as safe as they were before. A change in the brightness of lighting in the tunnel leading to bombsite B will reportedly result in lurkers frequenting the area much less, removal of some drain pipes near the entrances to bombsite A have also been done, granting better visibility.

"We wanted to honor its pure form while buffing away the jagged edges," Valve said regarding the update to the classic map, "We set out to refine it further rather than performing a wholesale redesign," they also added. The map is now brighter overall and will now favor the players' aiming and reflex skills instead of their ambush talents.

"Experienced players will now not have to worry about whether they're going to get hung up and newbs won't wonder if they're going to get burned. Annoying physics based detritus props have also been replaced with more predictable static prop detail such as weeds and rocks," according to Valve, meaning that they updated not only the layout but also the visuals and aesthetics of the map.

The changes will now permit Dust 2 to be a viable map for tournaments and competitions. Still, the updated map is just in its beta mode and has not yet been finalized, so changes might appear once the complete map gets released. 

Players may try Dust 2 beta on "CS:GO." The game is available on PC via Steam.