Starladder Budapest Major Update Arrives Early: Everything You Need to Know

Valve has released the long-awaited Starladder Budapest Major update, surprisingly ahead of its usual schedule. The update introduces new tournament content, gameplay improvements, and several market-related adjustments designed to improve player experience both in and out of matches. Here’s a full breakdown of the update’s key features.

Tournament Items and Stickers

As with previous Majors, a dedicated in-game hub now showcases all available tournament items. The new collection includes team stickers and player autographs, featuring fresh designs that have already generated excitement within the community. These cosmetics remain a staple of each Major cycle and are expected to play a major role in this event’s trading scene.

Viewer Pass and Coin Progression

The cornerstone of every CS2 Major update, the Viewer Pass, is back. Owning the pass grants access to the Pick’Em Challenge, allowing players to predict match outcomes across all tournament stages.

Purchasing the Viewer Pass awards the Budapest 2025 Event Coin. This coin can be upgraded from Silver to Gold to Diamond by completing Pick’Em tasks. Each upgrade also unlocks a souvenir package, which can be sold or opened for collectible weapon drops. Valve has even updated its promotional banners to highlight that the Major grand final will be played as a best-of-five, an exciting improvement for competitive fans.

Sticker Slabs: A New Way to Display Stickers

One of the most notable additions in this update is the Sticker Slab, a charm-like accessory inspired by PSA collector cases. Players can “seal” any sticker they own inside a slab and attach it to a weapon. This allows users to preview or showcase stickers without permanently applying them.

This new system may influence sticker market values by making rare stickers more visible in-game without risking their consumption. Whether the community will widely adopt this feature remains to be seen, but it introduces a fresh, creative way to appreciate sticker aesthetics.

Package Visual Enhancements

Valve has updated case visuals by adding a pulsing yellow indicator light and modifying the inspect animation. These adjustments help highlight customization options, especially now that cases can be decorated using the new sticker slabs.

Market Changes: Anti-Fraud Measures Expanded

Two important marketplace updates have been introduced:

• Newly purchased name tags and StatTrak swap tools can no longer be traded or listed on the Steam Community Market.

• This move mirrors the earlier decision to limit key trading, a response to fraud involving stolen credit cards and third-party reselling.

Additionally, the item rarity borders received subtle visual improvements for a cleaner, more polished marketplace experience.

Gameplay Improvements and Surfing Fixes

The update includes several gameplay-related adjustments, most notably:

Higher Maximum Velocity for Movement Modes

The maximum effective velocity has been increased to 16,384, four times the previous limit. While the default value of 3,500 remains unchanged for standard play, this improvement is aimed at movement-focused modes such as surfing.

With the previous surf speed cap removed, advanced surf maps can now function more accurately and fluidly. Additional fixes related to jump timing further support competitive movement gameplay.

Map Fixes and Visual Improvements

Inferno Skybox Correction

Valve has adjusted Inferno’s skybox to prevent grenades from being blocked in unintended areas. The exact previous problem spots weren’t easy to identify, but the fix ensures more consistent utility usage ahead of the Major.

Extended Bullet Decal Distance

Bullet mark visibility has been improved at long ranges. On maps like Train, where distant firefights are common, bullet decals will now remain visible from much farther away. This change enhances tactical awareness and can help players read previous engagements more effectively.

UI and Animation Updates

All glove models and UI glove animations now use the AnimGraph2 system, matching the technology used for first-person glove animations. While largely cosmetic, this unifies the animation backend for smoother visual consistency.

Performance Enhancements

Valve once again notes general performance improvements. Previous updates containing similar notes led to measurable gains for many players, and early impressions suggest that the game continues to run more smoothly. As performance stabilizes, it becomes less of a noticeable factor, usually a sign of meaningful optimization.

Final Thoughts

Releasing the update a full ten days before the Major indicates that Valve is prioritizing stability. With the Major approaching, large-scale updates are unlikely aside from minor fixes. This update brings a balanced set of features, new cosmetics, quality-of-life changes, and long-awaited improvements for the movement community.

More adjustments and meta discussion may follow once the event begins, but for now, CS2 players have plenty of new content to explore.