The latest update to Counter-Strike 2 rolled out some major changes to weapons with changes to half-buy weapons including the FAMAS, MP9, MP5-SD, and MP7 as well as a price drop for the M4A4. So how will these tweaks impact the game?
Back in the day, the T side of Counter-Strike had a profound advantage when it came to the value of their weapons. While that’s still true today, things have been slowly moving closer to parity. The latest step on that journey came on January 28, 2025, with the FAMAS and M4A4 both getting price drops.
Alongside those changes were tweaks to numerous SMGs. So what impact will they have on the game overall? Here’s a thorough breakdown on each weapon’s changes and the impact it will have on the meta.
The January 28, 2025 update to Counter-Strike 2 introduced price changes to the FAMAS and M4A4, as well as nerfs to the MP9, MP5, and MP7.
These changes are likely to combine for a major shakeup in eco rounds and half-buys. Here’s a breakdown of each of the changes, and what it means for the game’s meta overall.
The M4A1-S has pulled too far ahead of the M4A4 in the CT-side assault rifle popularity contest. Its lower price and improved accuracy have made it preferable, despite having a smaller clip.
Valve has generally tried to keep M4A1-S vs M4A4 a pick’em for players, and it did this by dropping the price. Now, both guns can be purchased for $2,900. Time will tell which weapon wins out at the professional level, but the M4A4’s extra 10 bullets per magazine will likely make it much better for casuals.
The FAMAS, generally speaking, has never been worth buying outside of some extremely niche situations. Its long-range accuracy was only marginally better than the more expensive SMGs, but it has always been considerably more expensive than an MP9 or MP7.
That changed with this update, as the FAMAS now has superior accuracy to the Galil while standing, and is closer to the AK-47’s accuracy while crouched. Couple that with a $100 price drop and the FAMAS is now a much better value than it historically has been.
Three of the most popular SMG options were all given nerfs to their crouching accuracy. For all three, this nerf was a significant one, with the difference between crouched accuracy and standing accuracy being slight.
The end result of these changes is that rifles provide a much better value than they previously did.
Previously, the Scout, MP9, and MAC-10 were the only primary weapons worth considering for a half-buy round. An SMG and utility was always a better option than a FAMAS or Galil, which made it so these affordable rifles were only ever used in a final stand situation when a player had some money left over.
These nerfs to the most common SMGs will significantly improve the viability of the FAMAS. Though the Galil will likely still remain buried behind the unchanged MAC-10, expect a bit more diversity on the CT side outside of full buy rounds.
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