CS:GO Battle Royale: Welcome to Danger Zone!
The game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has got one of its biggest updates ever. On December 6, Valve made its multiplayer shooter free-to-play and presented a Battle Royale mode, named Danger Zone!
The gaming community was trembling with anticipation for a few days before the update – thanks to intriguing and provocative tweets of Valve. Then, the reaction of players burst with a mix of excitement and indignation. Some are happy about changes in the game.
Some expected very different efforts from the developers. Still, the fact is the fact – Danger Zone is here, and CS:GO is free for everyone. So, let’s accept this and have a closer look at this Battle Royale mode.
The newest CS:GO update kept the core gameplay without meaningful adjustments. Of course, cosmetic items are here as well – the possibility to express your style brings lots of joy to the shootouts.
Buy CS:GO skins on DMarket for the best price on the Internet! The collection of cosmetic items has been expanded with new Danger Zone cases. Here are all the skins from it:
Free CS:GO – How Can Anyone Be Angry with This?
A bit earlier, Valve made free offline practice with bots. The next step in the same direction is much braver – now, the whole game is free-to-play. Sounds excellent, don’t you think? Well, some guys disagree!
Lots of players have invested money in purchasing CS:GO and some of them feel offended. Why pay for something you can get for free? Valve gives a commemorative Loyalty Badge to all owners of the game license. Also, such accounts are upgraded to Prime Status.
Read the article about CS2 ranking system to keep in line, to know more about Prime Status and to take Global Elite!
It allows participation in matches only for Prime Status players (theoretically for having decent and honest teammates and opponents). The new skin MP5-SD | Lab Rats will be given to Prime Status players if they earn 250 XP in Danger Zone (until January 9, 2019).
Another concern of CS:GO players is about a potentially increased float of cheaters in the game. Protective VAC system is not perfect, and now there is no monetary obstacle for the army of hackers to spoil the game experience for everyone.
Only time will prove whether this decision by Valve is wise. Now, we can see some positive consequences in the growth of active player numbers. You can check out this post on the DMarket blog – How many people play Counter-Strike.
Danger Zone – How It Differs from Other Battle Royale Games?
The hype of the Battle Royale genre is something that developers just can’t ignore nowadays, especially if they work on shooters. This is precisely about the developers of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, one of the greatest shooters ever made.
- It’s so fast-paced!
Unlike locations of the main competing titles, Blacksite, the first Battle Royale map in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, is very small. The number of players here is limited to 16 for solo battles and 18 for duo and trio modes. As a result, events happen with lightning speed.
In first games, death was coming to my character suddenly and irreversibly. I was used to a kind of stealth mode in other Battle Royale titles, but it’s quite hard to hide properly inside the small Danger Zone.
The fast pace of this new mode is not interrupted by long expectations of new matches, so it takes not too much time for feeling it out and for starting developing some skills. With just a bit of practice, you may grab the core of CS:GO Battle Royale and get match victories.
- There’s lots of loot all around.
The game wants you to fight, so it gives you everything you need for this. It’s not a common situation in the Danger Zone to run between buildings and find nothing useful there. Just make small efforts, and you will have enough weapons, ammo, and equipment.
Some items lie on the ground without any container – they will be picked up when your character comes close enough. Some items are hidden in crates, so you should destroy them with virtual fists, a hammer or an ax.
Time after time, airdrops appear in the location. They give the best items, so it is always a risk to chase them – there are lots of hunters looking for careless players.
- Money is meaningful.
Unlike other Battle Royale games, the Danger Zone mode involves money in the battling process (like it’s usual for CS:GO). Collect cash as usual loot, then open your tablet (with the Tab button) and make purchases.
- Is this mode repetitive and boring?
It’s interesting to feel a fresh atmosphere in new matches. To support such excitement of renovation, your purchasing tablet offers new sets of weapons in new matches. Also, the deadly danger zone narrows in different areas of the map.
Randomness of the loot and unpredictable behavior of other players bring a significant chunk of diversity to the game. Still, a question arises – can CS:GO Battle Royale remain interesting after many playing hours?
The classic modes of this game also may seem repetitive, but most players don’t agree! CS:GO is very deep thanks to its strategic core. It’s so interesting to play on its many maps, enjoy its many modes.
If you consider Danger Zone as a separate game, it suffers a lot and needs many improvements to compete with PUBG and Fortnite. But let’s not forget that the Danger Zone is just a part of the huge game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. It is meant to make the primary playing experience more diverse – and that’s the beauty and power of it.
Adding new maps to the Danger Zone mode might be a significant boost for its popularity.
Danger Zone Tips
Before delving into adventures of CS:GO Battle Royale, check out these useful tips. They may help to avoid unnecessary mistakes and come closer to glorious victories.
1. Don’t Hurry with Landing
The start of the match is quite unique here. Players choose their landing spots beforehand, and they can’t change this decision. It’s a good idea to be patient – the game doesn’t begin until the timer reaches zero. Observe landing spots of other players and make your decision on this basis.
2. Use the Landing Physics
Your in-game character goes down to the Danger Zone location on a rope, not on a parachute or something. That affects how you lead it to a particular spot. For example, move back in the air, then press forward, so your guy will move much further – he swings on the rope.
3. Pay Attention to Yellow Hexagons
Whenever you open the map on your tablet, check two things: the red danger zone and the positions of the yellow hexagons:
- Red danger zone shows the safe area – try to remain inside of it
- Yellow hexagons shows sections with other players
This is the basis for your tactics in a particular match.
4. Upgrade Your Tablet
Do this on the purchase screen. This is a way to get more information from the in-game device.
5. Loot Dead Characters
Never miss the chance to inspect the remains of in-game enemies – many useful items can be found here. Still, you should be careful with the process during the final stages of Battle Royale matches.
Only if you still don’t have good enough equipment, risk to reveal yourself for those surviving on the map. Check the tablet of a dead guy! He might have purchased something, and the package may be on the way – just wait for it.
6. Buy Items Only if You Really Need Them. Hide after the Delivery
All your purchases are made through the special in-game tablet, and they will be delivered by drones. These devices follow players (their tablets), so you don’t have to stay on one spot waiting for them.
The dark side here is that everyone can see where your drone flies and where you are hiding. For security purpose, buy weapons, ammo, and equipment if you really need it. Then, try to change your position or to hide and wait for a tricky hunter.
7. Heal Your Guy!
Don’t forget to get enough healing items. Check the health of your character after every battle and heal him at every opportunity.
8. Be Silent! Listen Carefully!
Unnecessary haste makes sounds and reveals your position to opponents. Excess slowness prevents you from getting nice loot and taking a good position on the map. Find harmony between running and walking. Keep it at each moment of the game.
Usually, haste is better for the starting stages and slowness is good closer to the game end.
9. Keep Your Bullets
Danger Zone in CS:GO is not a place to spray bullets all over the place. For example, you can keep 4 bullets in magazines of sniper rifles and 16 in assault rifles.
So make all of your shots meaningful, accurate to the max to not find yourself defenseless in front of a deadly danger. Of course, such limitations do not apply to super-powerful weapons from special crates of the airdrops.
Ammo is rather expensive to purchase and is not common among loot. Consider bullets as precious items!
10. Learn the Difference between Crates
Beginners in this mode may run all over the place and try to loot every crate on their way. It’s not the most effective behavior in Danger Zone.
After getting some experience, you will distinguish CS:GO Danger Zone crates:
- Crates with just pistols (small red)
- Crates with SMGs and riffles (big red, destroyable only with some tools)
- Crates with explosives (yellow)
- Crates with knives and tools (blue)
- Crates with special items (briefcases)
This knowledge allows to make better in-game decisions and not waste time on unnecessary crates.
11. Try Duo and Trio Modes
Solo matches in CS:GO Danger Zone are totally different from battles in teams. It’s so much fun to have teammates. You even may find friends in the game.
12. Take Care of Hostages
If you find hostages in the Danger Zone location, consider taking them to the safe zone. This will not bring you victory, but this is a way to earn in-game money.
For some advice on the primary CS:GO modes, read the post Best CS:GO Tips I’ve Received from Teammates.
Conclusion
It seems like the primary intention of the Danger Zone developers is to offer something fun for the community. Its prospects as an Esports discipline are quite doubtful – we will not see it on such events as ESL Pro League.
Consider Danger Zone in a similar way as War Mode, enjoy it in between original CS:GO matches, and expect potential improvements to CS:GO Battle Royale. Anyway, it’s a nice part of the game collection for the fans of this genre and joyful entertainment for gamers with various preferences.
Follow DMarket on Facebook and Twitter to get the most significant CS:GO news!
