New CS2 update fixes audio dropout bug, so no, your headphones weren't the culprit

Audio is perhaps the most important element of a tactical shooter. Every footstep gives location info, while every attempt to change mags presents an opportunity for someone to swing. When you can't rely on your eyes because of smokes, your ears become your leading sense. A couple days ago, legendary Counter-Strike map Cache made its grand return to CS2. However, something ostensibly went wrong in the patch, and some players were left dealing with an issue that caused the FPS game's sound to cut off temporarily. As you can imagine, it's probably the worst thing that could happen mid-round, barring your monitor switching off, but Valve's been quick to address it.

According to the latest CS2 update patch notes, Valve has pushed a "speculative fix for a case where all audio drops out." 'Speculative' doesn't sound particularly definitive, but hopefully it does the trick if you've also fallen prey to the bug. If you still find yourself losing audio, try switching your default audio device as that has reportedly helped some.

The return of Cache has so far been a resounding success, with Matt suggesting "it might just be the best" of the four maps that have been remade for CS2 so far - the others being Inferno, Train, and Overpass. "Not only has Valve improved the graphical quality of the map," Matt says, "but it's also made changes to boost both performance and playability when you jump into the action."

That being said, there's always room for improvement. Most of this short-and-sweet update is dedicated to various tweaks and fixes for the CS2 map, perhaps the most notable of which being the removal of a newly-found self-boost up to Shroud that did away with the need to hop onto the door at squeaky. Instead, players were leaping onto the '04' sign next to the door, then onto the lamp above it, making getting up to the crates both significantly easier and faster. Said lamp has now been removed, as has the sign collision, so it's back to the OG method for you.

Honestly, Valve's been on a bit of a tear with CS2 as of late. Between the launch of Animgraph 2 bringing massive improvements to the overall experience, the return of Cache, and the reduction of camera shake, there's a lot to be happy about. Yes, it's taken over two years, but hopefully these recent developments are a positive sign of things to come.