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Valorant Hatchbudz Quacked Series Capsule Leaked: Contents, Price, and Release Date

The Hatchbudz: Quacked Series Capsule is the newest cosmetic bundle set to arrive in Valorant in the near future. Packed with adorable duck-themed cosmetics, this new collection promises to dial up the game’s cuteness factor, giving players a fun and playful way to showcase these adorable companions amid the heated battlefield.

While details regarding the Valorant Hatchbudz: Quacked Series Capsule have yet to be revealed by Riot Games, dataminers have already managed to leak what this new bundle will bring to the shooter.

In this article, we’ll take a look at everything you need to know about the Valorant Hatchbudz: Quacked Series Capsule, including a full list of its contents, price, release date, and more.

Valorant Hatchbudz: Quacked Series Capsule Contents

As mentioned earlier, the Valorant Hatchbudz: Quacked Series Capsule will include a series of duck-themed cosmetics. Although the bundle does not feature any new weapon skins, it will offer a Gun Buddy, Player Card, and Spray for players to equip and show off in-game.

Unlike the regular Gun Buddies in Valorant, the Valorant Hatchbudz: Quacked Gun Buddies will feature a brand-new interactive mechanic. With these Gun Buddies equipped in-game, players can jump three times to hatch a random duck variant, which resets each game.

Items in the Hatchbudz: Quacked Series Capsule cannot be purchased separately and must be bought as part of the bundle. Here’s everything you’ll be able to get upon purchasing the capsule:

  • ”Hatchbudz: Quacked Series” Gunbuddy
  • ”Hatchbudz: Quacked Series” Spray
  • ”Hatchbudz: Quacked Series” Playercard

Valorant Hatchbudz: Quacked Series Capsule Price

The exact price of the Valorant Hatchbudz: Quacked Series Capsule is unclear at the time of writing. However, based on similar bundles we’ve seen in the past, this new collection is likely to be priced at around 1500 VP.

Valorant Hatchbudz: Quacked Series Capsule Release Date

The Valorant Hatchbudz: Quacked Series Capsule is expected to be available on the Valorant store on February 26, 2026. Note that it will be a limited-edition capsule, which means fans won’t be able to obtain it once it leaves the store.

Marvel’s Wolverine Finally Has a Release Date

One of the most highly anticipated games of the year, Marvel’s Wolverine, finally has a release date after months of speculation. Following the gigantic success of Marvel’s Spider-Man series, the iconic X-Men character Logan, aka Wolverine, was chosen as the next character for Insomniac to set their big release of the year around, and following months of silence, we have a release date.

Gameplay Trailer & What We Know So Far

The full game is not available at the time of writing. However, the first look at the gameplay trailer, which was unveiled during PlayStation’s State of Play event in September 2025, is all we had to base our speculations around. The teaser suggested brutal and intense close-quarters combat, focusing on Logan driving his claws through the enemies. The trailer further suggested appearances from popular X-Men characters like Mystique and Omega Red, and several key Marvel comics locations like Madripoor.

Marvel’s Wolverine Release Date & Platform

In a surprise announcement from Insomniac, Marvel’s favorite savage will be hitting PlayStation 5 exclusively on September 15, 2026. The teaser attached to the announcement may be a little too short, but it carries the punch to bring the hype for the game.

An early launch in mid-September gives the developers a tactical advantage, given the big names that are scheduled to release later this year, and therefore ensures players have enough time to enjoy their craft.

Far from the light-hearted tone of Insomniac’s Marvel’s Spider-Man games, Marvel’s Wolverine is expected to bring a much darker and mature narrative created around Logan’s personal journey. Given the depth of the character, we might be greeted with something completely different from what we have come to become familiar with in the Spider-Man games. Only time can tell if Insomniac can replicate the success of Spider-Man with Wolverine, but their decision to pick yet another fan-favorite character can prove to be instrumental in making the game a smashing success.

Clash of Clans Unleash the Duke Day 1 Rewards Revealed

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The wait is finally over for the most unique hero launch in the game’s history. As the global community prepares to rescue the new Clash of Clans hero, a fresh leak from r/ClashOfClansLeaks has already uncovered the Clash of Clans Unleash the Duke rewards for Day 1.

The “Unleash the Duke” event is a cooperative effort where players must farm Dark Elixir to reach global milestones. Once a goal is hit, you get to choose between three different dungeon doors. Because you can only pick one, knowing what is inside is vital for your progression!

Clash of Clans Unleash the Duke Day 1 Door-wise Rewards Options

The leaked gameplay screenshots for Day 1 show three distinct choices, each offering a different type of value for your village. Here is exactly what you will find behind each door:

Door 1: Three Treasure Chests These chests are perfect for players looking for a bit of a gamble. Depending on their rarity, they can contain anything from common resources to rare ores and magic items.

Clash of Clans Unleash the Duke Day 1 Door 1 Reward

Door 2: 200 Grumpy Medals If you are eyeing specific items in the event shop, this is the choice for you. These medals act as the primary currency for the event, allowing you to buy exactly what you need rather than relying on chest.

Clash of Clans Unleash the Duke Day 1 Door 2 Reward

Door 3: One Clan Castle Cake For those focused on heavy-hitting attacks, the “magic snack” is the winner. This cake provides a temporary boost to your Clan Castle troops, making it a top-tier choice for war-focused players.

Clash of Clans Unleash the Duke Day 1 Door 3 Reward

How to Claim Your Rewards

To unlock these Clash of Clans Unleash the Duke rewards, the community must reach a collective goal. Once the milestone is reached, you simply select your door and hit “Claim”.

However, keep in mind that there is a timer. Each reward set is only available for a limited time before the journey moves to Day 2. Therefore, you will want to check in daily to ensure you don’t miss out on these exclusive prizes.

This event represents a shift in how Supercell handles new content, turning a hero release into a community-wide celebration. Whether you prefer the random loot from chests or the guaranteed value of Grumpy Medals, the Clash of Clans Unleash the Duke rewards offer something for every playstyle.

Asian Games 2026 Unveil Most Comprehensive Esports Lineup to Date

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The 20th Asian Games, scheduled to take place in Nagoya, Japan in 2026, have confirmed what is being described as the most expansive esports program in the event’s history. A total of 13 titles spanning PC, mobile, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5 platforms have been officially announced, marking a significant evolution in esports’ role within multi-sport competition.

Esports will once again feature as a full medal event following its demonstration debut at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games and its official medal inclusion at the 2022 Hangzhou edition. Since then, the category has steadily matured, blending national representation with competitive gaming’s established global audience.

The Olympic Council of Asia confirmed the final list on February 22, 2026.

From Demonstration Sport to Medal Contender

Esports first appeared at the 2018 Asian Games as a demonstration event, featuring titles such as League of Legends and PUBG to assess viability within a traditional multi-sport framework.

By 2022 in Hangzhou, esports had secured full medal status. The event recorded significant viewership numbers across streaming platforms and introduced key refinements, including adjustments to mobile versions for competitive integrity and the formalization of national team structures.

Regional competitions such as the SEA Games further accelerated esports’ credibility within the Asian sporting ecosystem. Titles like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang have consistently drawn millions of concurrent viewers, including peak figures exceeding 2 million during high-profile regional matchups.

The 2026 program reflects lessons learned over the past two editions, balancing competitive integrity, regional popularity, and broadcast viability.

Full Confirmed Esports Titles: Asian Games 2026

The official lineup includes the following titles:

Competitive Martial Arts (Unified Medal Event)

  • Street Fighter 6 (PC)
  • Tekken 8 (PC)
  • King of Fighters XV (PC)

Unlike traditional fighting game tournaments, these three titles will be combined into a single medal event. Nations will need depth across multiple fighting games, rewarding versatility rather than specialization.

Team-Based Titles

  • League of Legends (PC) – 5 players
  • Honor of Kings (Mobile) – 5 players
  • Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (Mobile) – 5 players
  • PUBG Mobile (Asian Games Version) – 4 players
  • Identity V (Asian Games Version) – 5 players
  • Pokémon Unite (Mobile/Switch) – 5 players
  • Naraka: Bladepoint (PC) – 4 players

Individual Titles

  • Gran Turismo 7 (PS5) – 1 player
  • eFootball Series (Mobile & PC) – 1 player (separate events per platform)
  • Puyo Puyo Champions (PC) – 1 player

A Clear Mobile Majority

Seven of the thirteen confirmed titles are mobile-based, reflecting Asia’s dominant mobile gaming ecosystem. With over 500 million mobile players across the region, this distribution is consistent with market realities.

Honor of Kings continues to command massive domestic viewership in China, while Mobile Legends: Bang Bang remains a competitive powerhouse across Southeast Asia. The inclusion of PUBG Mobile (Asian Games Version) and Identity V (Asian Games Version) indicates a continued focus on controlled tournament builds designed to preserve competitive integrity.

One of the most notable structural decisions is the unified “Competitive Martial Arts” category. Instead of awarding separate medals for Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, and King of Fighters XV, the Asian Games will crown a single champion nation based on combined performance.

This format introduces a team dynamic into traditionally individual-centric fighting game competition and encourages broader roster depth across titles.

Strategic Refinements After Hangzhou

The 2026 program reflects several key refinements:

  • Asian Games-specific builds to address integrity and standardization.
  • Stronger alignment with regionally dominant titles.
  • A balance between mobile-first markets and established PC esports.
  • Platform diversity, including console representation via Gran Turismo 7.

The national team format continues to amplify regional rivalries, adding a layer of patriotism not always present in publisher-led circuits.

Viewership Expectations

Esports at Hangzhou 2022 attracted multi-million viewer peaks across global streaming platforms. With stronger mobile integration and increasingly competitive regional storylines, Nagoya 2026 could set new benchmarks for hours watched within the Asian Games framework.

Mobile esports continue to dominate total watch time across Asia, while fighting games and League of Legends are expected to anchor broadcast visibility.

Esports’ Growing Role in Multi-Sport Events

The 2026 Asian Games program signals a clear shift, esports is no longer an experimental addition but an established competitive category within major international sporting events.

From demonstration status in 2018 to a 13-title medal lineup in 2026, the progression reflects both institutional confidence and market demand.

As Nagoya prepares to host, esports appears set to further integrate into the broader global sporting narrative, backed by viewership, national representation, and sustained competitive structure.

New Crafted Defenses Coming to Clash of Clans Home Village Leaked

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Just when we thought the February 2026 update was already packed, a series of massive new leaks on r/ClashOfClansLeaks has revealed a game-changing feature. It appears Supercell is introducing a “Crafting Phase” to the Home Village. This new mechanic allows players to build and upgrade Clash of Clans Crafted Defenses, bringing powerful, customizable weaponry directly into your main base.

Here is your first look at the new defensive towers and the deep module system that makes them so unique.

What are Crafted Defenses in Clash of Clans?

The “Crafting Phase” introduces temporary, seasonal defenses that you can customize with specific parts. Unlike standard buildings, these towers utilize a “Module” system. This allows you to prioritize different stats, such as health or damage, depending on the current attack meta.

This level of customization means no two bases will defend exactly the same way. Therefore, attackers will need to scout carefully to see which modules a defender has chosen.

The Three Leaked Defensive Towers

The leaked data reveals three iconic defenses transitioning from the Builder Base to the Home Village during this event:

  • The Roaster: This defense blasts hot plasma at both ground and air enemies, making it a nightmare for “spam” armies like Witches.
  • Air Bombs: A defensive staple that fires barrels of explosives to knock even the tankiest flying units out of the sky.
  • Lava Launcher: This long-range weapon spits fire from afar, creating “The Floor is Lava” zones where ground troops constantly lose health.

Deep Customization with Modules

What sets Clash of Clans Crafted Defenses apart is the ability to upgrade specific traits through three different modules. Each defense has 10 levels of upgrades for its various parts.

NOTE: These Crafted Defenses are based on Builder Base defenses

1. The Roaster Modules

  • Hitpoints: Costs Elixir to increase health up to 6,000.
  • Damage: Costs Gold to increase damage per hit up to 95.
  • Burst Fire: Costs Dark Elixir to increase the number of plasma shots in a single burst up to 15.
New Crafted Defenses Coming to Clash of Clans Home Village - Roaster

2. Air Bombs Modules

  • Hitpoints: Costs Dark Elixir to reach up to 6,000 HP.
  • Damage: Costs Elixir to boost damage per hit up to 950.
  • Attack Cooldown: Costs Gold to speed up the firing rate, reducing the cooldown to just 2 seconds.
New Crafted Defenses Coming to Clash of Clans Home Village - Air Bombs

3. Lava Launcher Modules

  • Hitpoints: Costs Gold to increase durability up to 4,900.
  • Damage: Costs Dark Elixir to raise DPS to 125.
  • Range: Costs Elixir to extend the firing distance to a staggering 20 tiles.
New Crafted Defenses Coming to Clash of Clans Home Village - Lava Launcher

Also read: Clash of Clans Dragon Duke Gameplay and Equipment in Action

While these defenses are part of a seasonal “Crafting Phase,” they represent a massive shift in how we think about Home Village defense. The ability to bring specialized, high-tier weaponry from the Builder Base into your main village is a feature players have requested for years.

Which of these Clash of Clans Crafted Defenses are you most excited to build? Will you focus on the long-range fire of the Lava Launcher or the rapid-fire plasma of the Roaster?

How to Get the Free Arc Raiders Surgeon Deck

With the latest update, you can earn the Arc Raiders Surgeon Deck for free by claiming it from the Decks menu. It’s a permanent, battle pass-style track that’s all about medic-themed cosmetics and useful support items.

In this article, we will explain what Surgeon Deck is and how to get it for free in the game.

What is Surgeon Deck?

The Surgeon Deck comes with the Shrouded Sky update as Raider Deck 3, which is essentially a themed battle pass that you purchase with in-game currencies instead of real money. Like the previous Raider Decks, it’s free to access, but you’ll need to spend Cred to claim rewards from its pages.

How to Get Free Surgeon Deck

Follow the steps mentioned below to get it easily:

  • From the main menu, navigate to the Decks tab and find “The Surgeon” among the list of earlier decks like Raider Deck 2.
  • Click on it and “buy” the deck.
  • Since the entry fee is free, you won’t spend any Raider Tokens on this path.
  • After acquiring it, all rewards for the Surgeon are available for purchase with Cred at your own convenience.

Cred is earned through Feats, the daily challenge system of Arc Raiders that resets every 24 hours. Feats usually consist of easy tasks such as destroying certain ARC enemy variants or looting medical supplies during raids. Since Cred is the common deck fuel, you can freely switch between the older decks and the Surgeon decks based on which cosmetic reward you want to acquire on a given day.

The deck combines outfits, gadgets, and various Raider Token rewards, so it should be handled as a mini-economy system rather than a to-do list. The Surgeon outfit components, Paramedic backpack, and powerful support items such as Tactical MK. 2 and Tactical MK. 3 should be acquired first, and only after that, one-time consumable packs and slight color variations.

Lastly, aim for the Raider Token rewards as soon as possible, as the valuable tokens earned can be used to purchase decks or cosmetic items from the store in the future, amplifying the value of this “free” Surgeon grind.

How to Get Comet Igniter in Arc Raiders

Comet Igniter is a new late-game resource in Arc Raiders. The only way to obtain it is by tracking down the new Comet ARC and ensuring that you destroy it before it suicides on you.

In this article, we will explain what Comet Igniter actually is and how to obtain them in Arc Raiders.

What is Comet Igniter?

Comet Igniter is an arc-tech resource used in the Weather Monitoring System project and other Shrouded Sky contracts, so you will encounter this roadblock if you are pursuing new upgrades. It drops from the Comet ARC, a rolling explosive bot introduced in the Shrouded Sky update that plays like a more aggressive, kamikaze version of Pops or Surveyors.

Where to find Comet Igniter in Arc Raiders

Comets appear on every map and in every weather type, but open areas are your best chance. The current farm of choice in the community is Dam Battlegrounds, with multiple players reporting consecutive Comet spawns on the dam and adjacent open areas, as well as frequent Comet drops in Buried City (the plaza north of Plaza Rosa) and Blue Gate, which regularly receive Comet drops from orbit. Visually, you’re looking for a metal ball with one “headlight” and a glowing stripe above it, and arc trails in the sky as they fall.

If you allow the Comet to fully charge and detonate naturally, it will often only drop a basic scrap ring and no Igniter. Rather, destroy it before it reaches detonation levels, as players have consistently reported higher Igniter drop rates when the Comet dies to damage rather than its own detonation. Heavy hitters such as Ferro, Anvil, or Hullcracker, along with seeker grenades, make short work of this fight if you focus fire as soon as it aggroes.

Comets are loud. Use their distinctive whine and massive explosion sound to detect battles happening close by and third-party slower troops. Always store the Igniter in your safe slot (“butt pocket”) and retrieve it right away, as losing it resets progress on missions requiring rare resources such as Fine Wristwatches and Firefly Burners.

Arc Raiders Surgeon Deck Released: All Rewards, Cosmetics, Raider Tokens, and More

The highly anticipated Arc Raiders Shrouded Sky update is finally here, marking yet another major patch for the extraction shooter less than a month after the Headwinds update. 

The Shrouded Sky Arc Raiders update is a big one, and there’s plenty to unpack in this February 2026 patch, including tons of new content, cosmetics, and other rewards.

One of the biggest highlights of the Shrouded Sky update is the new Raider Deck that it has introduced to the game. Similar to the previous Raider Decks, the “Surgeon Deck” is also completely free to obtain, but you’ll have to grind through all the rewards by playing the game.

If you’re here to know more about this newly-added Surgeon Deck in Arc Raiders and all its rewards, look no further!

Arc Raiders Surgeon Deck: All Rewards

Similar to the previous Raider Decks, the Arc Raiders Surgeon Deck includes a series of themed cosmetics, consumables, free Raider Tokens, and even a cool new beard for your Raider.

Below, we have listed all the rewards included in the Arc Raiders Surgeon Deck alongside their respective images:

Page 1

  • Outfit: Surgeon
  • Backpack Attachment: First Aid Kit
  • Backpack Charm: Bone Saw
  • Raider Tokens x50
  • Sterilized Bandages x5
  • Seeker Grenades x5

Page 2

  • Backpack: Paramedic
  • Face 18
  • Outfit Variant: Surgeon (Headgear and Mask)
  • Surge Shield Rechargers x5
  • Raider Tokens x50

Page 3

  • Outfit Variant: Surgeon (Calibration Device)
  • Outfit Colors: Red & Cyan
  • Tactical MK. 2
  • Smoke Grenades x5
  • Defibrillators x3
  • Raider Tokens x50

Page 4

  • Surgeon Hat (Scrappy Cosmetic)
  • Raider Hatch Key
  • Vita Shots x3
  • Raider Tokens x50
  • Tactical MK. 3 (Revival)
  • Raider Tokens x50

Page 5

  • Facial Hair: Full Beard

This concludes everything you need to know about the Surgeon Deck in Arc Raiders. Alongside this Raider Deck, there’s plenty of new content for players to explore in this update that you can check out in our detailed patch notes section.

Arc Raiders Shrouded Sky Update 1.17.0 Patch Notes

The highly anticipated ARC Raiders Shrouded Sky update is finally here, bringing a massive overhaul to the gameplay, mechanics, environment, and weapons. One can argue that this marks the biggest update for the game since its release, and it massively rebalances a plethora of facets of the game.

It goes without saying that the new map, namely Hurricane, has been the centre of attention after the update, as it brings dynamic weather effects into the game, adding strategic depth in the process. The weather particles, including strong winds and flying debris, can degrade shields and offset throwables, while dust can impair vision. All of this adds more uncertainty and unpredictability to the game, making it all the more challenging yet exciting.

New ARC Enemies & Seasonal Projects

The update introduces new types of ARC enemies to make the top-side missions more challenging. The two new ARC enemy types will require even more adaptive strategy and teamwork to overcome and might be more difficult than what we have come to experience with the existing ones. A free Raider Deck, Surgeon, has also been added, giving players access to new rewards and progression pathways.

Quality of Life

The update addresses minor wrinkles outside combat by adding personalisation features like facial hair customisation. Anti-cheat enhancement is another aspect that is highly requested by players with every update, and is also a part of this patch. With several map fixes and animation updates, the game is now more stable than its previous builds.

Now that you have the gist of it, find the full patch notes below:

All ARC Raiders Shrouded Sky Update 1.17.0 Patch Notes

What’s New?

  • Hurricane Map Condition
  • Two New ARC Enemies
  • The Weather Monitoring System – Seasonal Player Project
  • Free Raider Deck
  • Dam Battlegrounds Map Update
  • Expedition Window
  • Facial Hair Customization

Patch Highlights

  • Weapon balancing for Stitcher, Kettle, Venator, Jupiter and Aphelion.
  • Added a piano as an interactable object in the world.
  • Prevented enabling all NVIDIA Freestyle filters simultaneously to remove an unfair visual advantage.
  • Feats can now be rerolled three times per day for free.
  • Removed PvP Feats, updated a few existing Feats and added a few new ones.
  • Ziplines can no longer be placed on carryable objects.
  • Mines, traps, or remote flares can no longer be placed on other deployables.

Balance Changes

Weapons

Stitcher

  • Reduced Headshot Multiplier from 2.5 to 1.75
  • Reduced Base Damage from 7 to 6.5
  • Increased Per Shot Dispersion by around 50% (Making it bloom faster)

Kettle

  • Reduced Base Damage from 10 to 8.5

Venator

  • Reduced Headshot Multiplier from 2.5 to 2
  • Reduced Base Damage from 9 to 8

Jupiter

  • Improved ADS Magnification from ~1.9x to ~2.2x
  • Improved Equip Time from 1.2s to 1.05s
  • Improved Unequip Time from 0.9s to 0.75s

Aphelion

  • Reduced Base Reload Time from 4.5s to 3.5s
  • Reduced Time Between Shots from 0.9s to 0.7s
  • Reduced Vertical Recoil by ca 50%
  • Improved ADS Settle Speed by ca 35%

Item and Crafting

Energy clip

  • Now available by default in the Workbench.

Item Value and Cost Changes

Following item values and costs have been adjusted with appropriate recycle and salvaging adjustments:

  • Deadline
    • Value increased from 5,000 to 6,000.
    • Trader price increased from 15,000 to 18,000.
    • Added a new ARC part as a crafting cost.
  • Trailblazer
    • Value increased from 1,600 to 2,200.
    • Trader price increased from 4,800 to 6,600.
    • Added a new ARC part as a crafting cost.
  • Wolfpack
    • Value increased from 5,000 to 6,000.
    • Added Rocketeer Driver as a crafting cost.
    • Reduced Refined Explosive cost.
  • Vita Spray
    • Value increased from 3,000 to 3,400.
    • Added Tick Pod as a crafting cost.
  • Showstopper
    • Value decreased from 2,200 to 2,100.
    • Added Hornet Driver as a crafting cost.
    • Changed crafting component from Advanced Electrical Components to Electrical Components.
  • ARC Parts sell value has been reduced to better reflect their crafting and progression uses.

Content and Bug Fixes 

Achievements

  • Fixed an issue where the “Blindsided” achievement sometimes did not trigger as intended on the first attempt.

Animation

  • Fixed various animation issues while vaulting.
  • Fixed an issue where some weapons didn’t drop magazines during reloads.
  • Fixed an issue where reattaching to a ladder after jumping could distort the climbing animation.
  • Polished equip animations for pistols and hand cannon to better match timing and reduce visual popping when switching from unarmed.
  • Improved arm and weapon positioning when swapping shoulders to prevent visual popping during the transition.
  • Fixed an issue where fall damage wouldn’t get applied if the player was in a knockback animation.
  • Polished low-health reaction animations for improved clarity.
  • Fixed weapon-shake animation incorrectly triggering indoors during freezing weather; it now only occurs outdoors.

ARC

  • Fixed an issue where Surveyors and Fireballs could open prematurely before stabilizing.
  • Reduced erratic movement of ARC parts when they are stuck to a looted item.
  • Hornets now keep their upper armor after being destroyed, making the lootable piece easier to distinguish from Wasps.
  • Fixed an issue where the Rocketeer sometimes would not shoot despite having a clear view of its target.
  • Reduced cases where the Sentinel’s shots could pass through geometry when its weapon clips into walls at very close range.

Audio

  • Limited bullet sound effects per trigger pull on burst weapons to the burst size to prevent extra shots from playing.
  • Reduced audio stuttering on lower-spec PCs for smoother, more consistent sound during gameplay.
  • Lowered non-radio voice volumes: in-game dialogue.
  • Fixed an issue where sliding on stairs or debris could cause audio stutters.
  • Scrappy has received your feedback about being too noisy, he will now try to cluck less frequently.
  • Reduced overall volume and rebalanced the menu SFX and music mix for a more comfortable Speranza experience.
  • Shortened one tube deployment music track that lingered for too long in session.
  • Birds perched on ziplines now screech with correct positional audio when startled.
  • Decreased  audio occlusion / obstruction slightly across the board and especially for players .
  • Updated acoustic guitar music tracks.

Cosmetics

  • The Volare Set 
  • The Surgeon Set
  • The Devotee Set coming soon.
  • Added a new facial hair customization option.
  • Fixed incorrect visor glass material on the Marco outfit’s green color variant.
  • Fixed various instances of clipping on certain outfits.

Gameplay

  • Added a piano as an interactable object in the world.
  • Fixed an issue where interactions could be triggered from too far away, allowing players to open doors, start hatches, or loot items without being nearby.
  • Hold and continuous interactions now cancel when equipping another item or weapon.
  • Fixed an issue where players could become unable to move after being revived with a defib.
  • Prevented players from standing on or being carried by thrown grenades and other non-walkable items.
  • Added missing gamepad aim assist for Sentinels, Turrets, Shredders and Surveyors.
  • Disabled queuing for Practice Range while in a party to prevent matchmaking errors.
  • Fixed an issue where a downed raider’s body could block hatch extraction by triggering a search prompt.
  • Prevented enabling all NVIDIA Freestyle filters simultaneously to remove an unfair visual advantage.
  • You can now make purchases with seeds and free loadout augments even if your stash is overflowing.

General

  • General performance improvements.
  • Fixed some popping issues.
  • Fixed a crash when launching the game with DirectX 11.
  • Fixed a crash that could happen when traversing ziplines.

Maps

General

  • Fixed broken interactions near the top of certain ladders.
  • Fixed missing collision on several environment props to reduce clipping and unintended traversal.
  • General lighting fixes across different maps.

Buried City

  • The chance of finding rare loot in chimneys has been lowered slightly during Bird City map condition.

Stella Montis

  • Fixed multiple collision issues on Stella Montis (Lobby, Atrium, Loading Bay, Train Station tunnels, Seed Vault) to prevent players from reaching out-of-bounds areas using the ‘Unstuck’ function and to address shots coming from the Lobby ceiling.
  • Adjusted night lighting on Stella Montis to improve visibility in darker areas.
  • Improved night-time visibility at the Seed Vault extraction by adding local lighting.
  • Fixed an issue where lowered Spillway bridges still displayed an interaction prompt, interaction is now correctly disabled when the bridge is down.
  • Fixed an issue that allowed players to get on top of metro trains.

Blue Gate

  • Improved thunderstorm lighting for better visual clarity.
  • Fixed an issue where players could go out of bounds in the Blue Gate tunnels.

Movement

  • Adjusted ladder jump-off to match vault jump-off behavior, smoothing movement and preventing unintended momentum from rapid inputs.
  • Fixed an issue where sliding could clip through stairs and escalators.

Progression

  • You can now reroll Feats three times per day for free.
  • Removed PvP Feats, updated a few existing Feats and added a few new ones.
  • Added an Expedition catch-up system to earn missed Skill Points from previous runs, with an updated UI to track your progress.
  • Fixed an issue where players occasionally did not receive a skill point as indicated in the result screen.
  • Candleberries in Blue Gate now count toward the Harvest Plants trial.

Quests

  • Added clearer ping labels for quest-related world objects to improve readability.
  • Fixed an issue where the next objective pop-up in multi-step quests could be missing or show a completed step. It now consistently displays the correct upcoming objective.
  • Fixed an issue where a quest item could appear as world loot without the related quest being active.

Social

  • When playing in a party, map selection now shows all locations unlocked by the member with the most rounds played.
  • Fixed an issue where previous teammates could appear in the Social tab’s In Proximity list after starting a new session.
  • Added clearer error messages when friend requests fail due to too many outgoing requests or rate limiting.
  • Fixed friends appearing offline when they have more than one platform linked.
  • Added the ability to hide friend requests. 

UI

  • Item pings for items in containers now appear above the container’s interaction point and no longer appear at the wrong location in certain containers.
  • Added a ready-up warning when deploying with Raider Hatch keys into a map with no active hatches.
  • Added icons to inventory tooltips to show recycle/salvage outputs.
  • Fixed an issue where squad colors could display incorrectly after squad changes.
  • Fixed a bug where adding a secondary keybind would overwrite the primary keybind in the next round.
  • Updated localization for unique loot from new enemy variants to improve in-game naming and clarity.
  • Improved matchmaking messaging when some party members are still topside.
  • Fixed an issue where end-of-round health was not correctly shown for all players.
  • It is now clearer when you join a party which party member is topside while you’re in Speranza.
  • You can now use the mouse scroll wheel to switch between pages in the Raider Deck.
  • Polished UI text and updated translations across supported languages.
  • Added additional ping labels for various quest objects to improve clarity.
  • Fixed an issue where mouse smoothing could remain enabled despite being turned off, ensuring the setting is correctly applied at round start.
  • Improved the red zipline preview when the zipline cannot be placed.
  • Updated login message to clearly explain when access is restricted because the shared account owner has been banned.
  • Fixed an issue in Expeditions where the timer could go negative after the departure countdown and the Sign Up button stayed active; the screen now updates correctly and the button is disabled.
  • Fix an issue where the repair preview wasn’t displayed correctly when repairing items.
  • Crafting and recycling screens now display item costs and rewards in a consistent order for easier reading.
  • The VoIP icon in the HUD will now better visually represent if the microphone is going to transmit or not if you’re using Push To Talk or Toggle To Talk.

Utility

  • Pop Triggers and Spotter Relays can now be used in quick slots.
    • The Spotter Relay can now be deployed as a trap that lures nearby ARC.
    • The Pop Trigger can now be deployed to roll forward briefly before exploding.
  • Added a new Field craft item: Shaker instrument.
  • Adjusted Vita Spray so healing applies continuously while in use to prevent exploit cases.
  • Fixed an unintended behaviour with the Snaphook causing it to pull players after it had been cancelled.
  • Ziplines can no longer be placed on carryable objects.
  • Fixed Zipline placement on ARC remnants that could consume the item or leave it partially placed.
  • Mines, traps, and remote flares can no longer be placed on ziplines, or on other small deployables.
  • The T3 Tactical (Healing) Augment now correctly states that healing is applied instantly.

VFX

  • Fixed an issue where Jupiter’s windup visual could face sideways, making the beam appear misaligned.
  • Fixed an issue where Trailblazer’s gas effect could persist indefinitely if interrupted by the Matriarch’s shield.

Anti-Cheat

When we shared our last update about tackling unfair play, we didn’t fully convey the complexity and scale of what goes into cheat detection. Our defenses operate on multiple levels: some checks are simple and definitive, while others are behavioral and data-driven and evolve over time. We also leverage broad gameplay telemetry and machine learning techniques to spot patterns that aren’t obvious at first glance. These methods take longer to develop, must adapt as game systems change, and don’t always offer instant certainty the way blunt software detections can.

We’ve recently taken action against different exploits, and we are further tightening our rules and stepping up enforcement. Serious infractions now carry stricter consequences. Strong detections will receive permanent bans right off the bat, while others will receive a temporary suspension and a single chance to correct the behavior. Recent updates to Family Sharing have strengthened our ability to curb misconduct and streamlined the removal of bad actors from the game. We are preparing to launch a systematic manual review of ban appeals. The game is young, and the volume of telemetry is enormous, but this process ensures every case is handled with care as we continue to learn quickly and invest heavily in the precision of our enforcement tools.

Counter Strike 2 Gets Performance Boost in Latest Update

Valve’s latest Counter-Strike 2 update is now live and it focuses on performance enhancements, bug fixes, and a notable modification of the ever-popular map Overpass, all focused towards improving the stability and player experience. The February 24, 2026, patch is a testament to Valve’s continued efforts to improve the player experience of CS2, as many have often accused them of overlooking the readily apparent issues with the game.

If you are an Intel CPU user running the game on Windows 10, then it is quite possible that CS2 was riddled with performance issues that were holding the game back from performing on existing hardware.

Following this update, these issues should be a thing of the past as Intel CPU users on Windows can now enjoy a higher FPS with a more stable performance of the game, which radically improves the experience. Competitive players who were struggling with performance issues can now experience more stable gameplay without having to upgrade.

Along with all that, developers have thrown in minor quality-of-life fixes for players, including a fix for the “Delete Item” option in inventory not working and rendering issues with Iron Sight Weapons on AMD GPUs.

Overpass gets a minor rework where the balloons on Party prevent clear vision through them for players. This update addresses that as well, making the A mid fights more interesting than before.

Patch Notes

[ MISC ]

  • Mitigated a performance issue that primarily affected Windows 10 users with recent Intel CPUs.
  • Fixed a case where the Delete Item inventory option wasn’t working.
  • Fixed a case of visual corruption using iron sights on AMD GPUs.
  • Expanding list of console variables addons are allowed to change.

[ MAPS ]

Overpass

  • Fixed the Party balloons.

While all this may not seem much, the performance fix update will help a big part of the player base who are on older software. This reinforces the belief that Valve takes most player issues into account when considering improvements for the game, which in the end makes Counter-Strike 2 a more enjoyable game for both competitive and casual players alike.