All smoke grenade changes in Counter-Strike 2

All smoke grenade changes in Counter-Strike 2
Images via Valve

Written by 

Harry Boulton

Published 

22nd Mar 2023 17:05

While it might not seem like the most exciting thing to players from the outside, the new Counter-Strike 2 smoke grenade changes are incredibly exciting. Smokes in Counter-Strike have always been one of the strongest tools at players disposal, but there are plenty of new ways to play with them in this new edition.

So, to find out all of the smoke grenade changes in Counter-Strike 2, all you need to do is carry on reading down below.

All smoke grenade changes in Counter-Strike 2

All smoke grenade changes in Counter-Strike 2
Click to enlarge

The new smoke grenade system in Counter-Strike 2 is being labelled 'responsive smokes', and is an absolute game changer. Smoke grenades now create 'volumetric 3D objects' that interact and change with other items in the game world.

This results in smokes expanding to fill spaces naturally, moving around various objects on the map and not expanding beyond any walls that would otherwise block their movement. Furthermore, smokes now react dynamically to lighting in-game, so they look better than ever before and appear a much stronger part of each map's visual theming.

Shooting through smoke grenades in Counter-Strike 2
Click to enlarge

The most dramatic change comes through how smoke grenades can be dispersed by various in-game weaponry. Shooting through a smoke will now create a hole, letting you see through to the other side, and HE grenade explosions will completely disintegrate a section of the smoke cover.

This adds a completely new dynamic to smoke placements, and shifts them from the all-inclusive blocking screen that they were before. This will additionally have rather dramatic ramifications on the professional scene, where smoke grenades and spraying through smokes are a key part of each round. 2019 Astralis would have been even more cracked.

Harry Boulton
About the author
Harry Boulton
Harry is a Guides Writer at GGRecon, having completed a Masters of Research degree in Film Studies. Previously a freelance writer for PCGamesN, The Loadout, and Red Bull Gaming, he loves playing a wide variety of games from the Souls series to JRPGs, Counter-Strike, and EA FC. When not playing or writing about games and hardware, you're likely to find him watching football or listening to Madonna and Kate Bush.
Trending
Best Dust2 smokes, flashes, molotov & grenade spots in CS2
All Counter-Strike 2 maps listed, from Ancient to Dust 2 & Overpass
How to enable left-hand view in Counter-Strike 2
What does Overwatch mean in CS2?
Counter-Strike 2 patch notes add Dust 2, Inferno changes & view model swapping (April 2024)