BetBoom’s bizarre pistol round strategy has CS2 players questioning their knowledge of game’s economy

If you don’t buy on pistol round in CS2, you’re likely a silver player. However, BetBoom didn’t buy on pistol round against Complexity at IEM Sydney, and it’s got us questioning whether we really understand the game’s economy in MR12.

BetBoom lost the round in question, but it didn’t matter. They had already met their win condition before the round started: saving for a big round two force buy. If they get the bomb down, even better. That’s more money for utility.

In CS2, the CT-side economy is punishing. The guns that the T-side can afford are much stronger, and CT side simply costs more. Additionally, on the second round after a pistol win, CTs are pretty much forced to buy helmets, or they risk getting one-tapped in close range by the T-side starting pistol, the Glock.

The strategy worked out in the short term for BetBoom. They won the next two rounds, the round two force buy and a round against a saving Complexity CT side. Fundamentally, Counter-Strike is about having better guns than your opponents if you win and manage your economy correctly: The goal is to eliminate as many full buy rounds from your opponents as you can. BetBoom’s strategy flies in the face of that gameplay loop.

While the strategy was effective in a vacuum, we need more data before we can declare this the new meta at the professional level. There were already many community complaints about the punishing CT-side economy, but if this silly play is truly the future of CS2, the debate will be over. The CT-side economy needs to change.

Counter-Strike is about consistency and strategy. This play just puts more pressure on a beleaguered side of the game.