CS:GO Operation Riptide Released; Grenades Can be Dropped

Valve released a new Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Operation Tuesday night, Operation Riptide, and in doing so added one of the biggest changes to Counter-Strike in the game's history.

CS:GO Operations are special events that run for multiple weeks giving players a chance to progress a Challenge Coin and unlock new cosmetics. Additionally, these Operations usually bring along big changes to the game and Riptide has certainly done that. Outside of map and weapon changes, the big update is that grenades are now droppable to teammates. In the past, grenades were tied to the player who purchased them. Grenades could be picked up off of killed players, but now they can be dropped just like any other weapon or the bomb.

Here's a full list of changes introduced in CS:GO Operation Riptide.

CS:GO Operation Riptide Released; Grenades Can be Dropped

Challenge Coin Released

• Complete missions and earn stars in Casual, Competitive, Danger Zone and Guardian to upgrade your coin

Game Modes

• Players can now create Private matches on Valve servers
• Short competitive mode added, nine round wins instead of 16
• Classic Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Free-For-All option added for Deathmatch
• Demolition max rounds reduced, removed half-time swap, reduced round time, adjusted weapon progression
• Arms race weapon progression adjusted, players get a health-shot after three kills

Weapon Changes

• Grenades can now be dropped just like weapons
• Vision after death reduced from three to two seconds. (Headshot vision reduced from one to .5)
• Riot Shield released as a heavy weapon for CTs in casual Hostage maps
• Desert Eagle body damage reduced
• M4A1-S body damage increased
• Dual Berettas price reduced to $300

Map Changes

• County added to Danger Zone
• Basalt and Insertion II added to Competitive, Casual and Deathmatch
• Ravine and Extraction added to Wingman
• Grind, Mocha, Pitstop, Calavera and Frostbite removed from matchmaking
• Dust2: Visibility tweak from T spawn through mid, improved visibility into B back site from upper tunnels
• Inferno: Gate at top of Banana is now solid, revised 1v1 layout, minor bug fixes
• Ancient: Increased size of plant areas in both bombsites, fixed bullet penetration on plywood surfaces, further optimizations, added 1v1 arenas

Skins

• New Agent skins added
• Riptide Case added featuring 17 community-designed weapon finishes
• Riptide Sticker Collection added with 14 Operation-themed stickers
• Riptide Surf Shop Sticker Collection added
• Operation Riptide Patch Collection added
• 2021 Train Collection added with 17 skins
• 2021 Mirage Collection added with 19 skins
• 2021 Dust2 Collection added with 19 skins
• 2021 Vertigo Collection added with 19 skins

CS:GO Operation Riptide is now live.