We’re returning to Rust! The Reforged update is more about improving existing content rather than adding a ton of new things. For Season 8, we focused on listening to your feedback to overhaul some familiar features and make the game better.

The 1v1 Duel you know is becoming ranked. We’ve also added unranked 2v2 Duel.

Duel appeared in the game a year ago, and since then players have been asking us to add the option to compete in this mode.

Duel is now ranked! We’ve added new ranks for the mode, and there’ll be new rewards at the end of the season. We’ve also adjusted the balance and changed some weapon combinations. The “headshots only” and “no scope” modifiers have been removed from Duel because they introduced an element of chance to the battles. And AWM no scope duels often just turned into knife fights.

There won’t be unranked 1v1 Duel for now. But we may add it as a weekly mode in the future. However, the game now features 2v2 Duel as a regular mode. We’ve noticed that you liked it a lot, so we decided to add it into the game.

The MMR values required to reach a rank have changed.

We improve the ranking system in each Season, and this time we decided to make the rank ranges clearer and more “round”. Each rank now has the following values:

This change will make it easier for you to navigate rank ranges. Plus, it’s slightly easier to climb to The Legend now!

Rust received a major rework. Arena’s objects and textures were updated. Village and Province got visual updates.

Rust hasn’t been updated since version 0.14.0, and there have been no geometry changes on the map since it was released in 0.10.0. In a recent video, we revealed the reasons why maps are reworked in Standoff 2, and now Rust’s time has come.

We’ve given the map some visual updates: you’ll see new pathways for offense and defense. The map has become more balanced in terms of combat options for T and CT. The same applies to bombsites A and B. A new pathway from the long will make it easier to attack point B, and bombsite A also has a new, more obvious pathway from the mid. Both bomb plant spots have also been geometrically transformed.

Finally, the objects that are blown up now have more meaning to them: on bombsite A, it’s a storage facility for a flammable substance, and on bombsite B it’s a construction crane. Blowing up plain old containers just wasn’t as much fun.

You’ll see some new characters on the map: FOG (fictional special ops unit). The Federal Operations Group will replace the old FSB agents (Don’t worry, Phoenix is still around. He just got a promotion). Their opponents, the Smugglers, will also get a slight visual change. The colors of their costumes have been changed for better visibility on the map.

The overall geometry of Arena has remained unchanged. We've visually updated this map to make it look more modern and up to date. Some points on the map have gained more gameplay depth.

Sniper positions have been reworked. Rifle enthusiasts will find it easier to hit their targets, but taking down a sniper has also become less difficult. The small hangar can now be climbed from both sides, not just from the CT spawn. It’s also pretty straightforward to get on top now: there’s a hole in the roof of the small hangar that will take you inside.

These changes make the map more multi-tiered and dynamic.

Province has received a visual update: there’s more light on the map, the plant textures have changed, and the season is summer now. This means the map no longer looks so faded compared to the other locations in the game.

The Village changes are less noticeable. We’ve updated the wood texture to make the location more pleasant to look at.

“Free-for-all” returns as part of a new category where 7 modes will rotate every 24 hours.

Over the last seven years, Standoff 2 has had many modes that appeared in the game and then disappeared. Many players miss these modes and want to play “Free-for-all,” “Control Point,” and other interesting modes again.

That’s why we’ve decided to create a new category where modes will rotate every 24 hours. It will include the classics from recent years, as well as some of the best weekly modes. You voted for them so often that the other modes simply didn't stand a chance!

The 24-hour modes are:

This list is very flexible and changes are very possible. Escalation is also joining the 24-hour modes because its popularity has been waning recently. At the same time, we don’t want to completely remove “retake” from the game.

Now there’s an option to share your control settings or use someone else’s.

The new HUD from the Fun&Sun update didn't just improve the look of the game, but also allowed us to add some useful features. For example, you can now share your customization settings with other players.

To do this, simply save a preset of your settings and copy the unique ID. Now any player will be able to enter this ID and use your settings.

Tip: Remember to make the settings comfortable for you personally. If someone else’s customization is inconvenient, feel free to make changes.

Invulnerability time is now longer in both modes. The order you get weapons has changed in “Arms Race.” The M60 has been removed from “Team Deathmatch.” Now the Ts and CTs have the same weapon choices.

We regularly keep an eye on the status of every game mode—even the ones that have been in the game for a very long time. When coming up with changes for Season 8, we took player feedback into account, aiming to improve gameplay and make these modes more enjoyable.

Here are the changes in “Team Deathmatch”:

Here are the changes in “Arms Race”:

The new weapon order in “Race” is more logical: you'll start with weapons that are simple to handle and move to more complex ones. This means that the closer a fighter is to a knife, the harder it’ll be for them to score another frag, and other players will have an easier time gaining on the leader. This will make Arms Race battles more engaging and intense.

Physics rework. Grenade trajectory is now displayed in custom lobbies

Throwing grenades is one of the basic mechanics in the game. In the Reforged update, we decided to improve grenade physics to make it so you can throw grenades more predictably and in a way that is easy to understand.

Grenades will no longer slide across the floor as much. Unfortunately, because of this, many slide-based throws will no longer work. However, most of the familiar grenade throws can still be performed.

There’s a special tool in custom lobbies that’ll help you get the hang of the new physics. You can turn on the option to show the grenade trajectory, and then you’ll see the path the grenade will follow, including the ricochets. This will make it much easier to practice your throws!

Seasonal Battle Pass and gloves. Option to buy Gold Pass for Gold. New graffiti pack in the Store.

Introducing the seasonal Battle Pass! It’ll last for 8 weeks, during which you’ll be able to get skins, stickers, charms, and graffiti from the Reforged collection. The biggest reward of the new pass is gloves in 6 potential colors.

Just like in update 0.29.0, you’ll receive containers as rewards for executing missions. You’ll be able to open them or sell them later.

You all really liked the option to purchase the Gold Pass for Gold in the Fun&Sun update. So we decided to make it so you can do it again in Season 8 for 1200 Gold.

Vibe is a new graffiti collection that’s available in the in-game Store. It features 20 images that’ll help you express your emotions right on the walls of the game’s maps.

The collection includes sprays for communicating with teammates, Easter Eggs, and also funny images.

You’ll definitely feel the vibe.