Valve adds Anubis and chickens that swim to CS2

Fariha Bhatti Published 03/08/2023

Counter-Strike 2 testing is in full swing as Valve swaps out map after map. This time, Anubis and Ancient are entering the fray.

CS2 is still in beta as Valve squeezes in as many new features and maps as possible before CS2 release date approaches. So far, Mirage, Dust 2, Nuke, and Overpass have all been tested, and now Valve has thrown Anubis into the mix, with Ancient being playable in casual modes.

Overpass was overhauled to appear cleaner and brighter, but players mostly loved the interactive mud water. While the map was littered with pixel bugs, it was well-received by the player base. The latest teasers for Ancient and Anubis also appear promising.

In the latest August release notes, Valve has announced that Anubis will be replacing Overpass. The map’s dusty environment and stark yellow sunlight will pleasantly contrast Overpass’s gloomy mood. Overall map design is the same, but the realistic waters, brighter sunshine, and small details across the map are highly notable.

Ancient won’t be a part of the competitive queue, but fans of the secluded forest map can still enjoy it in casual and deathmatch mode. In the current pool, Ancient is easily the most serene location out of all, making it the perfect map to blow off the competitive steam.

Chickens in CS2 can swim

Besides the maps, Valve has made a massive change to the livestock in CS2. In CS2, the players aren’t the only ones who’ve gotten sharper. The chickens have adapted to the rough map conditions and can now swim!

It’s currently unknown exactly what impacts gameplay, considering the water is now interactive, and jumping or walking in it causes splashes and noise. So, it’d be interesting to see how chickens can help exploit the loud waters in CS2.

The update goes live right away for those who have access to CS2.

Fariha Bhatti

About Fariha Bhatti

Fariha Bhatti is a long-time gaming writer who loves competitive FPS games and slots with particularly fun themes. She got her start playing classic games developed by SNK, from legendary fighting game series The King of Fighters to challenging platform franchise Metal Slug. She now spends most of her time playing Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 while working her way through new slot releases to find her next favorite. Fariha has been published at PCGamesN, TalkEsport and ONE Esports.

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