Valve Releases Operation Shattered Web, Returns SG 553 back to $3,000

Cover Image Courtesy: counter-strike | Thumbnail Image Courtesy: counter-strike

Valve has finally released a new operation titled “Shattered Web”. This is the ninth operation to have been released by Valve and comes after a gap of about three years, bringing with it new agents, weapons, stickers, graffiti, and a lot more.

Operation Shattered Web

CS:GO was long due to give its fan new playable content, the entire community had been waiting for a new operation to be released and Valve has hit them with a surprise out of the blue.

The developers have tried a new battle pass format for this operation. There are ‘Operation Rewards’ which a user can earn by completing missions or can also directly purchase them. The user can earn a maximum of 6 stars per week through the weekly missions, with the ceiling being 100 stars.

Image Credit: counter-strike

But there is no limit to the number of times a user can cycle through the rewards track, even after earning the 100 stars by completing the missions, a user can keep purchasing stars and earn more rewards.

The ‘Operation Coin’ will also automatically upgrade from bronze to diamond as the user keeps completing missions.

Missions

The Operation which will be lasting for a duration of 16 weeks will be bringing a new mission card each week, featuring a total of six non-overlapping missions that can be completed in any order and game mode.

There are co-op campaign type missions as well where a user along with their friend can play together, earning Guardian XP towards ‘Operation Stars’ and ‘Operation Weapon Drops’.

Agent Collection

Probably the biggest addition to this operation and something that Valve has introduced for the very first time, T and CT-sided characters which can be equipped on any map and game mode. These agents are available as ‘Mission Progress Rewards’ and once the user obtains them they can simply equip them for deployment.

A total of 22 characters are available, which have been divided into various categories like, Distinguished, Exceptional, Superior, and Master Agent. Only the Master Agents have unique cheers and voice lines, users will earn one Master Agent when they receive 100 stars.

End-of-Match Accolades

A few categories have been added apart from the usual MVP which will show up at the end of a match.

Image Credit: counter-strike

Weapons, Stickers and Graffiti Collection

Four new weapon cases have been added, Norse, St. Marc, Canals, and Shattered Web Case, with the shattered web case offering four new knives namely, the Survival, the Nomad, the Paracord, and the Skeleton knife.

The Shattered Web Sticker Collection which has been designed by community artist ‘daniDem’ is also up for grabs, but are only available as rewards during the operation.

Image Credit: counter-strike

The Shattered Web Graffiti is also available as a reward through the battle pass.

Image Credit: counter-strike

New Maps

Two new maps have been released, Lunacy and Jungle. While the former can be played for Flying Scoutsman missions, the latter is a community-created Danger Zone map. Both the maps are available for regular matchmaking games as well.

Lunacy | Image Credit: counter-strike

Jungle | Image Credit: counter-strike

This is all that Operation Shattered Web has to offer for the users. But this is just a part of the update that Valve had in store for us. The devs have listened to both the community and the pros complain about the insanely powerful SG 553, returning its price back to $3,000, while both FAMAS and Galil have observed a price cut of $200 and a bit of a buff to their full-auto spraying accuracy.

For more details on operation shattered web click HERE.

A whole lot of other changes which have been made are as follows,

Danger Zone

• Buy menu price adjustments for ssg08 and radar jammer.
  
  
• Minor timing adjustments for locked door and safe interaction.
  
  
• Automated sentries now fire M249 bullets.
  
  
• Added kill feed icon for the automated sentry.
  
  
• Added more explosive barrels.
  
  
• Tablet crate icons now show an above/below annotation if significantly above or below the player.
  
  
• Minor change to zone effect visuals.

Workshop

Pearlescent coatings: We have added support for applying a pearlescent coating to weapon finishes. Pearlescent coatings use ceramic crystals to reflect and refract light, splitting it into different colours as the view angle changes.

Maps

• Added Studio to Scrimmage and Casual Sigma map groups.
  
  
• Added Jungle to the Danger Zone rotation.
  
  
• Added Lunacy to Flying Scoutsman.
  
  
• Zoo and Seaside have been removed.
  
  
• Cache has been moved from Scrimmage to Competitive Matchmaking.

Vertigo

• Added ramp to the final stage of scaffolding on A ramp, no longer need to jump up.
  
  
• Connected corridor to the back of A with CT elevator room.
  
  
• Widened top of mid.
  
  
• Offset doors from CT spawn and to CT elevator room.
  
  
• Made A site CT death funnel shorter, widened site area.
  
  
• Removed big block in CT spawn.
  
  
• Moved A ramp sandbags to allow jump up.
  
  
• Various bug and clipping fixes.

For full details on the release notes click HERE.