donk calls for CS2 pistol rounds to be removed

Team Spirit star Danil “donk” Kryshkovets has called for Counter-Strike 2 to remove pistol rounds, arguing that their unpredictability gives them too much influence over match results.

Pistol rounds are played twice in regulation: once at the start of a map and again after teams switch sides. Players begin with limited money and usually rely on pistols and a small amount of utility, which limits their tactical options.

The winner can usually afford stronger weapons and equipment in the following round. The losing team must choose between saving money and making a force-buy, which can delay a full purchase of weapons and utility. The effect is more pronounced in CS2’s MR12 format, where each half can last up to 12 rounds and a team needs 13 rounds to win in regulation.

“I think they’re too important and too random to decide a lot in the game,” donk said in a recent interview.

Despite his criticism, donk leads the all-time CS2 pistol-round rankings. As of Oct. 25, he had a 1.60 Pistol Round Rating 3.0 across 536 maps. Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut ranked second at 1.59, followed by kl1m at 1.58. The rankings include players who meet the minimum map requirement.

donk proposed changes to pistol rounds in September, when he suggested removing them or redesigning the game’s economy. He also called for the return of the cl_bob command from Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and changes to the way players extinguish incendiary grenades.

Spirit are scheduled to face FURIA at PGL Masters Bucharest 2026 on Monday, Oct. 26, at 11 a.m. Brasília time. The best-of-three match is part of the third round of the Swiss stage, with both teams holding one win and one loss.

The winner will move within one victory of the playoffs, while the loser will be one defeat from elimination. Spirit reached the match after beating TYLOO 2-0 on Sunday, Oct. 25. donk recorded a 1.53 rating in the match, which ended Spirit’s three-match losing streak, the team’s first since December 2023.

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