GamerLegion’s acoR believes controversial AUG meta could return in CS2

CS2’s competitive scene is just days young but an old enemy may already be returning to the meta with scoped assault rifles very much back on the menu at IEM Sydney.

The AUG in particular is getting a lot of love from pros, and as GamerLegion’s Frederik “acoR” Gyldstrand explains to Dot Esports, it’s one of few weapons that seem to keep CT sides competitive on certain maps.

“How it felt in the ‘AUG meta’ days—that’s how it feels right now,” ac0r said, with the 26-year-old telling Dot he had been using the scoped rifle ever since he got his hands on CS2.

The infamous “AUG meta” was a period of time in 2019 when the weapon overtook the M4 as the most-used rifle by CTs. Between its one-shot headshot potential at short range, its attached zoom for longer sight lines, and added armor penetration, the AUG found its way into the hands of pros more often than not.

The AUG was eventually put to rest after nerfs brought it back in line, but now with CS2, it’s threatening to make a sudden return to the meta.

AcoR said the weapon was feeling like the true answer to “peeker’s advantage,” where players that swing around corners have a distinct drop on defending players holding angles. AcoR, who has wielded the AWP since joining GamerLegion in September 2022, was struggling early on with the sniper rifle—and turned to the AUG for guidance.

“You can kind of combat peeker’s advantage and make it a fifty-fifty fight,” acoR said. “An AWP is a one-shot kill and if you even get a chance and you miss you’re done, [whereas] the AUG can get a few bullets in.”

The AUG has only accounted for a touch over three percent of kills at IEM Sydney so far according to HLTV, but after seeing its success in head-to-head duels on day one, more teams are warming up to the weapon in the midst of the peeker’s advantage crisis.

ENCE, who will feature in Friday’s quarter-finals, has been noted for picking up both the Krieg and the AUG with Pavle “maden” Bošković and Alvaro “SunPayus” Garcia—also the team sniper—utilizing the weapons the most.

“Since CS2 came out I feel the AWP has some kind of delay, it feels slow and weird,” acoR said to Dot, but noted that after using a “de-sub tick” bind for the first time against Apeks—as well as a stint with the AUG—he felt he found his mojo again.

AcoR was also vocal about the addition of the grenade damage sound which he finds is “game-breaking.” When an HE goes off and hits an enemy player, a small squelch sound can now be heard, indicating the player’s location. It’s so powerful, acoR and GamerLegion have worked the sound cue into a strategy.

“We have a play where if you hear someone take damage we instantly flash and push and there’s little they can do—[they’re] just dead,” he explained to Dot, adding the one drawback of the new sounds occurs when an HE lands directly on a player.

“In CS:GO you’d have a ringing sound but can still hear footsteps. In CS2 it’s like volume zero—you can’t hear anything for five seconds,” acoR said, explaining the difference was “worse than a good flashbang” as you can’t even hear enemy footsteps.

Time will tell whether Valve feels these changes are the way forward for both the casual and pro scene. However, after disabling the use of alias binds meant to assist players and inaction over issues deemed serious enough to affect competitive integrity, it’s very much proving to be Valve’s way or the highway.

IEM Sydney, meanwhile, continues on Friday with the top six moving into the arena for the playoffs.