What is the Circle Around You on the CS2 Map Radar? – Answered

During your CS2 matches, you may observe pulsating circles of different sizes on your radar surrounding your position. These circles were recently added by Valve during the CS2 beta. In this guide, we’ll help you understand what those circles mean and how you can use them to your advantage in Counter-Strike 2.

What Does the Radar Circle Around You Do in CS2?

The circle you see sometimes on your radar indicates that you are making an audible noise that everyone can hear. The radius of this circle determines how far the noise can be heard. Consider taking mental notes on how distant the noise each of your actions produces so that you can plan your movement better. Indeed, it is a training wheel for new players, but it will also help the seasoned veterans of CS. You will notice that running in shallow waters makes more noise than running on solid ground; you’ll see that knifing the air, floor, or walls also creates a lot of noise. However, actions unrelated to your model, such as dropping items, will not appear. Also, you can adjust your radar settings since the default radar settings are useless.

Best Uses for the Noise Indicator in CS2

Two simple uses come to mind immediately:

1. You will know how far you can be heard, so you can adapt your movement and slow down (aka “shifting”) when you estimate there may be enemies nearby. Stealth is underrated in Counter-Strike.
2. Once you learn how much noise you emit and gain that game sense, you will also know how far you can hear your enemies. This can be very useful if you find spots on the map to position yourself, from which you can hear enemies approaching. Getting a read on an enemy rush before it takes place can buy valuable seconds for your team.

Obtaining and passing vital information in a timely fashion in CS2 and hiding your information from your enemies will definitely increase your odds of winning your matches, so I hope you will make good use of this feature.

Here’s everything you need to know about the new CS2 Premier if you are interested in sticking around Prima Games for a few more minutes.