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Latest CS2 Update Introduces New Premier Map Selection, Crosshair Styles, and Chicken Egg(?)
After months without dropping a significant update, Valve has finally dropped one of the biggest Counter-Strike 2 content updates of 2026.
For starters, the update introduces a completely new 3v3 game mode — Rush. It finally brings back Clan tags alongside a silent reload feature. Lastly, the update completely overhauls the Premier Map selection and adds multiple crosshair options and a chicken egg (?).
Let’s deep dive into the Premier and Crosshair changes that are shipped with this update
New Premier Map Selection: No More Mirage/Dust 2 Simulator
Apart from the obvious cheaters, the biggest problem with the update was being forced to play Mirage and Dust 2. This resulted in Cache — the heavily sought-after and latest addition to the map pool — seeing little to no action in the two months since its release.
While the community is to blame for this, Valve has decided to step in and make changes to the CS2 Premier Map Selection in order to improve diversity.
How New Premier Map Selection Work?
Instead of the usual map veto, the new Premier Map selection will randomize the map based on the four maps the players select.
Map selection process:
- Team 1 picks one map
- Team 2 picks two maps
- Team 1 picks a final map.
- One of the four maps will be randomly selected, and the match will begin.
This does not completely mitigate the problem, but gives initiative for players to pick and learn new maps in order to outplay the opponent.
New Crosshair Styles and Editing Options
Another QoL addition is the update to Crosshair Settings. With the new update, there are eight distinct crosshair styles, a new and improved color picker, and a Dynamic Cross limits adjuster.
All the crosshair styles available are as follows:
- Static Cross (the old Classic Static)
- Static Circle
- Static Square (Added in a follow-up update)
- Dot Only
- Dynamic Cross
- Dynamic Circle
- Dynamic Cross Classic
- Dynamic Cross (Legacy - Shot feedback)
- Dynamic Quad (New Default)
The Dynamic Quad is the new default crosshair and features a static cross with an additional dynamic quad that reflects the weapon accuracy.
The update also changed the crosshair system entirely. Moving forward, the thickness, gap, and length units will be pixels. Previously, an arbitrary scale was used to define crosshair size, but with the update, the units are standardised.
Meaning if you want a 1-pixel-wide crosshair with a bar length of 8 pixels and a gap of 4 pixels, then you would set: thickness = 1, length = 8, and gap = 4.
Please be aware that the new crosshair system automatically rescales pixel counts when the display resolution changes. For example, if a crosshair was configured at display resolution 1280x720 with a thickness of 2 pixels and then the display resolution changes to 2560x1440, it will now automatically rescale the thickness to 4 pixels so that it remains proportionally the same as when it was configured.
There is an additional setting to add delay to the unscope, allowing an additional second to look through the scope, but you cannot fire another shot.
An Inconspicuous Egg
While not mentioned in the patch notes or the release announcement, players are reporting receiving a ‘Chicken Egg’ as part of the weekly drop.
The egg currently sits as an inventory item, but game files suggest a fleshed-out Pet with a tracking diary and more. These pets will also have custom accessories specifically designed for them.
The game files suggest many more leaks, which we will compile into another article.
You can read the complete patch notes for the update [here].
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Featured Image Credit: Valve
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