Valve engineer Fletcher Dunn responded to players' complaints on Reddit regarding recent lag and packet loss issues in Counter-Strike 2.
Dunn explained that in the recent "Arsenal" update, the method for evaluating network connection quality was modified—packets arriving with significant delay are now treated as lost. This change has led to the packet loss indicator showing higher values for users. However, the algorithms for handling delayed packets remain unchanged.
"The 'Arsenal' update changed the method used to calculate the network quality indicator in the top right corner, which is why the number has increased. Packets are not processed any differently than before. Now, if a packet is delayed long enough to impact gameplay, we include it in the network quality measurement, as a significantly delayed packet impacts gameplay similarly to a lost packet.
We are not discarding any packets; we simply adjusted what is measured in the interface. The interface tracks lost packets and now also accounts for packets that experience significant delay, as they usually affect gameplay in the same way as lost packets. However, we haven't changed how we handle those delayed packets.
You can still view packet loss and access a wide range of detailed network data using the net_connections_stats command."
Valve updated the banner on the official Counter-Strike 2 account on the social network X. The new image features a wet asphalt texture, which is speculated to be a fragment of Train. This move appears to hint at the imminent release of an updated version of the map in the game.