How a Forgotten Meme Gun Took Over CS2

In CS:GO, the Zeus was always a bit of a meme.
Despite being a one-shot kill, the Zeus was inaccurate, slow and kind of a waste of money. People basically only used the Zeus when they felt like trolling their opponents. But CS2 has changed all of that. Buffs to the game's silliest cheese gun have made it into an actual, viable weapon.
Certain players are proving that the Zeus might actually have a place in the meta, but is that actually a good thing? Did Valve accidentally make the dumbest gun in Counter-Strike too good?
Written by: Niall McCrossan (@niallmccrossan) and Dimitri Pascaluta (@Dpascaluta)
Edited by: Sam Gore (@famgore)
Hosted by: Dimitri Pascaluta (@Dpascaluta)
Produced by: Niall McCrossan (@niallmccrossan) an d Danielle Rosen (@_DanielleRosen)
Thumbnail by: Willam O'Keefe (@Magoomagoof)
Footage Courtesy: pastebin.com/gSnMQST5
Music used under license from Associated Production Music LLC (”APM”).
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[@youju26]

The moan the player char does when zeused is really funny xD

[@BPKPhoenix]

I remember that pain scream from CS: Source Hostages when they get shot or killed, same voice. Kinda funny.

[@remuvs]

_EaAAgh_

[@fluvv9642]

​@@BPKPhoenix1.6 one was so funny

[@johndexterzarate6663]

....Sounds out of grove street if you think of it

[@walkytalky6372]

*Gun gets put in the game *players dismiss it as it's not meta *Valve buffs it, but plays still ignore it *Years pass, and someone realizes it's actually very strong *pros use, abuse, and demand a nerf Thus, the cycle continues.

[@vandlassie8478]

If anything, the entire cs community hate that break ak/m4. Just like fallout, meta never change to the point you just see the same gameplay for esport but different skin tone and colour

[@FOUL_TROUBLE]

@@vandlassie8478 what

[@WhatIsTheHeat]

But the buffs happened in cs2, they increased the range of the full kill, it used to have damage drop off as well, so if you hit but you were too far you’d do like 98 or something and then be dead because you can’t get your gun out fast enough.

[@sannii2222]

same with krieg :D

[@friedsensei]

This has been going on so long there's zero chance it's by accident. valve only wants there to be one best rifle,sniper,smg,pistol. Each with a viable alternate if you need to force. They will periodically buff auto-snipers, CZ, auto shottys and currently the Zeus to get some crazy clips and stir up videos like this one. But ultimately they want the win condition to involve awps, aks, and armor. Nothing else will actually get balanced to the point of long term viability. And to their credit, this is why cs is the most valid e-sport. Hockey players don't get to choose radically different sticks than their opponents. Baseball players can't use a tennis racket as a first inning bunt Strat. Outside of baseball there's not even a single inch of variation between the "maps" they play on. It's just annoying to see the meme meta go through cycle after cycle as a sideshow that no one intends to develop.

[@GhostTheAssassin]

I think it’s a good change, it’s less a meme and actually a viable choice to consider on an eco round

[@trevorthabest161]

Got 8 zueses In one premiere game on inferno today

[@friedsensei]

You must be new lol. They'll nerf it to the core of the earth by the next major, meme guns are only meant to provoke videos like this and nothing more. You wouldn't even be considering the long term viability of the Zeus if you'd been around in the glory days of the Negev meta. Yes. You heard me lol. Couple weeks of clips, then they raise the price, lower the reward, and nerf the range, reload, and movement speed. "We've decided the Zeus is more complementary to game dynamics as an ambush weapon not a pistol round rush powerhouse"

[@trevorthabest161]

@@friedsensei Zues is underrated and I'm dmg on most maps

[@lulwut9602]

The thing that makes it so powerful is that it's easy to one hit kill without aiming for the head.

[@skoomatroll]

its a nightmare on inferno banana, overpass toilets and nuke, not sure what the counterplay is to instant death

[@Instantur]

pretty much a guarenteed kill if the opponent swing you without flashing

[@pixelbagel9347]

09:28 seeing Seb from pietsmiet caught me off guard XD

[@MrInstinctGamer]

Right now, I think its actually refreshing to see. Valve did the right thing about balancing, it saw something that people weren't using, that was considered unviable, and buffed it! The damage didn't really change, it just got a recharge time which lets you get off, realistically, one more shot with it--and a 100$ reward so its not just eating funds for no reason. Anyone who talks about "ahh yeah but it one shots from so far! and/or then you get a free gun off it!" It always did that damage, and from that range any good rifler will always win, its irrevalant when the majority of the zeus kills are from 10ft anyways or holding a corner close. Also, it does so inconsistently. Also, you could also get a free gun off it and try to turn a round around, that was the whole point of the Adren call for Liquid on Cobblestone.

[@WhatIsTheHeat]

They did buff the range and removed the damage drop off threshold though. You used to use it at the range many pros do and it would do something like 80-98 damage and since it didn’t instakill spin that case you were immediately dead.

[@friedsensei]

Sorry buddy, there's zero chance it becomes a long term meta option. You're optimistic about the future and that's all that matters, it'll be nerfed shortly and you'll be saying the same thing when they increase movement and decrease scope in on the auto sniper, or decrease cost and improve accuracy on a machine gun, or maybe they'll reduce price and increase damage on a smg. Welcome to the cycle. I swear valve has an entire division devoted to creating temporary meme guns to go viral without completely breaking the game. Like the Doritos scientists who figure out the exact ratio of sugar vs salt to make you finish the whole bag without getting too thirsty.

[@t4404]

zeus has always been good but the cs weapon meta has always been extremely stubborn. nobody realises how overpowered the aug still is because nobody uses it

[@Mary-dc6js]

The AUG and SG were used a ton in pro play, faceit and esea, and supreme/global level in mm in csgo. I saw plenty of pros use it, but that was all before 2020 not sure about after

[@Realdaffel]

4:24, you can get an ace if they plant late

[@akikleist]

A video about Zeus and no love for HOUNGOUNGAGNE and Tweeday? HERESY

[@hunatya3183]

3:30 to seize everything you ever wanted...

[@afonsohipolito6983]

would you capture it?

[@DS-nv2ni]

or just let it slip?

[@ishraksobhan8769]

His palms are sweaty

[@afonsohipolito6983]

Knees weak arms are heavy

[@monoO733]

There is vomit on his sweater already

[@darkmoon3295]

5:02 why's nobody taking about zeus behind Colten?

[@joshtickr.9955]

OMG ITS HER thanks! XD i knew i saw her somewhere before, the pun is amazing lol

[@WisdomLearner]

Takodachi detected. They're everywhere

[@crowzet0]

Hololive the goat unlike nijisanji

[@cursorjustvanished]

lmao the haircut thing at the end

[@Sir_BanDr]

and now zeus kill reward is back

[@trace4425]

lol me and my friend usually get kills in Vertigo mid using 2 flash and a zeus only that's before the speed buff

[@nassolious]

I think the Zeus should be viable. I would rather it be a investment with one shot that if you land gives you all your money back. It needs to have a risk reward ratio. The fact it recharges now is silly too IMO. Tasers do not recharge, I would rather see them implement a feature of reloading the Zeus with maybe one or two back up wiring kits or somethin in ammo. Still need work but going in a okayish direction

[@meshachperera-po2cn]

As HOUNGOUNGAGNE used to say - A ZEECOOOOOOOOO, is when you are on ECOOOOO but you do it with a ZEUSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Jack-yq6ui]

I have been using the Zeus since it came out. I play the AWP but on rounds where I cant buy it I use a zeus to basically guarantee I get a kill that round.

[@VicVance1527]

Jeff taught us about Ze-eco before it was famous boys

[@flv-9984]

nice to see some early meta

[@NKCS7]

Recharge factor is pretty irrelevant tbh as it takes too long for recharge and you’ll use it on an eco then take their gun instead.

[@vilgotlindmoller4668]

From a non-CS player, how does the weapon work? To me it just seems like an insta-kill, or is it like a really inconsistent shotgun (kinda like the classic in val, but with higher damage)?

[@Penalicious89]

Ye always one shots if you hit but range is kinda scuffed and used to feel even more inconsistent

[@hocuska9408]

its 100% accurate even when running, its a oneshot, but if you miss, you might as well just die because you have to go through the weapon swap animation

[@ShoeTrees223]

Also important to note that the jumping (or falling) inaccuracy is insanely bad, so you're essentially forced to sit an angle with it

[@coasterthekid8867]

It used to be really bad because even though it’s a one shot kill anywhere on the body, it’s extremely short range, costs $200, shoots once then it becomes completely unusable and it didn’t give any kill reward. This meant that the only times you were going to use it would be to embarrass whoever you kill with it. It’s even more disrespectful than knifing someone because in CS, knife kills while difficult to get, give you $1500 so there is a sense of a risk reward. With the Zeus, there’s extremely high risk with very little reward so the only reason you do it is as a form of BM. People of tried to use the old one seriously to get a quick kill and pick up their gun, but it was really unreliable.

[@Acusumano25]

i might start playing CS 2 JUST to be a bastard with this haha

[@monoO733]

without it it just would be Rop

[@critiqalerror]

who would win? The $4750 1 shot body shot god weapon with a scope or One $200 sparky boi

[@m1st87]

I love the direction CS2 is headed in terms of weapon meta. Each weapon should have it's use, otherwise it shouldn't be in the game. I like how the autoshoty is being used a lot more, and now the zeus. It would be great if autosnipers abandoned their meme status and made a comeback as well.

[@charuseTV]

Arent those changes at the end for casual not comp ?

[@eduardusikga4533]

7:00 Aaah

[@demislonzie8784]

would be hilarious if you can rez a tased teammate but the hp 30 post rez.

[@RantyZombie]

who thought that the meta in cs would finally be the zeus... i always thought it would be something like the m249

[@AdeptSnake]

Personally, I see some R8 changes coming in the future. I love using it as is though, it's better than people think in certain situations.

[@aidxchaoo]

Colten doing more vtuber stream watching is always a 10/10 when I see these vids

[@theScore_Colten]

And reading your comments is a 10/10 for ME!

[@rexex345]

And... It got a buff with an actual kill reward...

[@icedv1850]

5:37 is that Bao?

[@ky3518]

it will never be meta, there's a very specific situation on how to make the zeus works.

[@blazeblaze7549]

I just noticed Colten watching a vtuber in the background 😭😂

[@WayStedYou]

"great timing" bro they literally make the game

[@FuryYT]

Is fixt no more long range kills... last update -.-

[@thecollectorsinged113]

Who's the live vtuber behind Colten?

[@Blakeariah]

its pretty good. you usjally die strsight after using it but it makes the eco rounds actually winnable

[@marcorodriguez8792]

Wtf are these thumbnails? Its kinda funny and I like em

[@bernardobraga2432]

I am the Guy Who Doesn´t Know What He Is Talking about but I know when someone is! Aproved!

[@MiguelRodrigues-xs3ph]

why only ropz highlights? m0nesy did some skill zeus kills

[@coasterthekid8867]

My guess is that valve is going to essentially Nerf the Zeus’ viability in pistol round by adjusting the price of the dualies to $350. A very common pistol round Strat in pro play is having four players buy kevlar and one player by two sets of dual berettas. They used to cost $400 so essentially meant that after buying all of that, nobody on the team could buy anything else besides like a decoy. However, with the dualies currently at $300, and the Zeus at $200, it means that you can get the four Kevlar, two sets of dualies, and a Zeus. Put together, that is kind of overpowered for pistol round. I’m sure they don’t want to hurt the popularity of the Zeus, so the likely way to Nerf this strat would be slightly increasing the price of the dualies so you can no longer get two sets and the Zeus with one player’s starting money.

[@ZeusMythosVT]

I heard I troll 😅

[@jakehotchkiss6093]

Actually all of the CS2 clips at the start of the vid are ropz lol

[@kenjiro8629]

Now watch cheaters spinbot with a Zeus

[@bambusakvevo4861]

Never was a meme gun to me... I used to go ZEco in csgo all the time

[@01ndt76]

sometimes i eco in dust2 and inferno, a zeus is my first option, then a five-seven, and it work 6/10 my first kill for my team😂 at cs2 i call my teamate" f**k b, only 1 guy zeus in b, and we gonna 4zeus on a" 😂 when i see this video, i can say that is finally be used by pro like ropz make me proud about my opinion on zeus, thanks the score

[@Elvin.M.]

It was never forgotten. I am playing with zeus since csgo😂 it's good in eco rounds, and a shot weapon. I have over 1k kills with zeus 😂😂

[@bbbiiirrrbbb]

5:37 booba

[@slendermansmoom]

I don't want to use it now that it's a actually good weapon. I had over 1K taser kills back in csgo and now ima retire back to just using the sawed-off and revolver without my dear comrade taser :C. Fuck the meta all hail office.

[@tongdawu2041]

I mean in retrospect it’s still terrible because of the risks involved in just having only a zeus Like: nothing but a pistol and Zeus

[@dotnet9830]

2:14 doesn't that dude use radar hack

[@psych0CS2]

No? JoJo streams a fuck ton and plays a ridiculous amount of Faceit. I've never heard someone say he cheats before

[@daedaethomas47]

jojo!!

[@andikasuryo9816]

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@SabanLeon]

Waiting for players to cry about it being op, lol

[@joshtickr.9955]

omg i forgot to ask XD colten! that vtuber, who is it?! you cant show new vtuber without providing sauce! i want new oshis!

[@ZachJack56]

You guys should make a video about the cheater problem in rainbow because its getting on csgo lvls Most of the legit players are leaving which is making cheaters more prevalent

[@gamingjunkie707]

Cheaters in online games. I'm shocked!

[@psych0CS2]

Trust me. Siege is NOWHERE NEAR as bad as cs is/was. Like not even remotely close. High elo premier (20k+) is literally 9 cheaters per game if you solo q

[@ethanblack5642]

I comment to help statistics

[@clare344]

Buddies mustache upsets me

[@theScore_Colten]

My moustache sends its apologies...

[@marcusdunn4128]

Hey daddy

[@s7zto]

And they already ruined it with the left hand update

[@Ginto_O]

Mom's spaghetti

[@joevader10]

Crutch weapons have always annoyed me

[@innobius4898]

No one plays on your clan. Tons of people no games.

[@seba121]

It's a stupid weapon, it should be removed.

[@That_beanie_guy]

Hi 1st

[@jaykera]

It’s actually overpowered and just shows some really weird views from valve on the game

[@chaver28]

there is more esports than just CS... you should cover more interesting stuff

[@seba121]

Weapon for passive players, lurkers, baiters, holders and the worst of cs2.

[@psych0CS2]

No it isn't LOL it's a weapon to buy when you are completely broke and Don't want to invest money into a round xD. And what on earth is a "holder" LMFAO. Holding an angle is literally one of THE MOST BASIC THINGS in all of CS and you are making fun of people for doing that?

[@seba121]

@@psych0CS2 Sorry, my English is worse than s1mple or lobanjica. ""Holding an angle is literally one of THE MOST BASIC THINGS in all of CS"". Of course, you must aim for the head and depending on the weapon used you can kill him with 1 shot or NOT, with the Zeus it is not necessary.

[@psych0CS2]

@seba121 don't worry about it. The main thing that makes the Zeus bad is that there are too many factors that can go wrong. You will die if you are too far away, if you miss, if your positioning or timing is bad, if you don't have a way to fall back afterwards, or if your opponents have a good trading system set up. It's a super situational weapon that only works at very specific times

[@6z0]

bro has beef with the oxford comma

[@abrahamlincoln8913]

I don't even play the game and I say delete it.

[@anjoreport8567]

Maybe stop saying

[@GuvernerZoubek]

this video is already outdated

[@anonymouse0107]

bad info bro, zeus was actually nerfed in range (which is the best buff it received) bad timing and investigation! i'm so sad tho

[@takh6806]

trash game, switched to Valorant and the quality is day and night.

[@Akasha0204]

No views in 10 seconds? Bro fell off

[@flurbxyz324]

just copying val