How much pro players cared about last M4A1-S nerf? History of CT main rifle balance of the last years

Counter-Terrorist side rifle selection in CS:GO represents one of the game’s most strategic decisions. Unlike Terrorist forces, CT operators can select between two primary assault rifles: the suppressed M4A1-S and the standard M4A4 variant. Valve’s design philosophy intended these weapons to serve complementary roles—M4A1-S offering precision and stealth, while M4A4 provides higher firepower and magazine capacity. However, competitive reality often diverged from theoretical balance, with professional competitors historically favoring one option overwhelmingly. The paradigm shift occurred dramatically in late 2021, creating what became known as the year-long M4A1-S meta era that reshaped competitive strategies.

September 22nd marked a pivotal moment in CS:GO’s weapon ecosystem. Valve’s Operation Riptide update introduced comprehensive weapon rebalancing, with the most significant alteration being substantial M4A1-S enhancement. The rifle received increased body shot damage, making it more lethal against armored opponents and fundamentally altering its time-to-kill statistics.

Just wondering, does anyone else use the M4A4 instead of the M4A1-S? Because today every team that played against us used the M4A1-S.

Professional competitors rapidly transitioned to the suppressed firearm due to its economic advantage and superior shooting precision. The $200 price difference created significant economic flexibility for team purchases, while the weapon’s reduced recoil pattern enabled more consistent performance across various engagement distances.

The M4A1-S swiftly established itself as the definitive CT-side rifle. During previous M4A4 dominance periods, situational weapons like the AUG and Famas saw regular utilization based on map characteristics and economic circumstances. Following the substantial buff, alternative rifle options virtually disappeared from professional loadouts, creating unprecedented weapon homogeneity across the competitive landscape.

Statistical analysis reveals the dramatic shift: M4A4 selection rates seldom surpassed 16-17% usage, while its suppressed counterpart maintained minimum 19% selection throughout the year, peaking at 28.5% during IEM Dallas. This unprecedented dominance prompted Valve’s subsequent balancing intervention following the tournament’s conclusion.

M4A1-S is a cheat. For example, take the “long” on Overpass: you just shoot in the body and kill the dude with AK. If it doesn’t hit your head, you overspray AK without a chance.

With this M4A1-S, you can seriously fire at a long distance. It also has a silencer, which dampens the recoil. And it costs $2900. I don’t know when they will fix it, but they must do it sooner or later.

Following the game-changing update, Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev demonstrated innovative gameplay that astonished the competitive community. The NAVI superstar didn’t merely experiment with the M4A1-S—he strategically removed the rifle’s suppressor attachment. Initial reactions suggested experimental gameplay, but subsequent tournament performances revealed calculated strategic innovation. During the IEM Fall 2021 semifinal match against Virtus.pro, the Ukrainian phenom dominated using the unsuppressed M4A1-S configuration, even employing it during Terrorist-side rounds—an unprecedented tactical approach. His championship performance against Gambit followed identical strategic principles.

The mystery behind s1mple’s unconventional configuration was ultimately deciphered through Reddit community investigation. User birkir conducted comprehensive accuracy testing comparing M4A1-S performance with and without suppressor attachment. The analysis revealed that the unsuppressed configuration provided enhanced accuracy during running and shift-walking movement. For stationary and crouched firing positions, the standard suppressed version maintained superior performance characteristics.

Casual players attempted replicating this advanced technique in matchmaking environments, but the movement skill requirement proved prohibitive for most competitors. The technique demanded s1mple-level movement mechanics and positioning awareness, leading to its gradual abandonment within the broader community. Even the NAVI superstar eventually reverted to conventional suppressed configuration for consistency in high-pressure situations.

M4A1-S got nerfed after all: it didn’t change the meta, but it became a bit more difficult to play

The period of M4A1-S imbalance persisted for nine consecutive months until June 16, 2022, when Valve implemented magazine capacity reduction from 25 to 20 rounds. Immediately following the balancing adjustment, professional competitors began testing M4A4 viability: during Roobet Cup tournament statistics showed rifle selection ratios of 4.3% versus 21.7% favoring the suppressed variant.

However, following a single competitive event, the professional community returned overwhelmingly to suppressed configuration: at IEM Cologne, the familiar M4A1-S was selected in 26.5% of engagements, while M4A4 usage failed to reach 2.3% penetration.

Current professional sentiment clarifies the persistent preference: competitors continue valuing the suppressor for its accuracy enhancement, economic efficiency, and damage profile. The primary adjustment involves increased difficulty achieving multiple kills within single magazine capacities.

The main problem with the M4A1-S is that people can play very aggressively. Do three kills alone without any teamplay. With 20 bullets, this will be more difficult. Now the teams will have to play more as a team, and not rely on individual actions. They will make a frag and move away, and will not spray all over the map. Previously, people could make easy frags even without a hard skill. I think things will be more balanced now.

Everyone will continue to use M4A1-S. The gun is still too strong, as it can kill with four hits to the body. You don’t even need to aim, just control the spray.

I don’t think there will be any difference. M4A1-S is still extremely strong, you just have to play more carefully and don’t spray all of your magazine. It’s still strong, you have to use it even with a 20-round magazine.

The gun is still very good, even tho it lost 5 bullets. It’s obvious that it will be harder to do multikills now, but it’s still good in shooting through smokes and in duels. But I might try M4A4 because of the 10 additional bullets in the magazine.

Matchmaking platform preferences demonstrated temporary M4A4 resurgence on FACEIT: according to Pley.gg analytics, late June statistics showed classic M4 configuration reclaiming 4-6% selection share against suppressed counterpart. However, community observations suggest that within three weeks, selection patterns returned to pre-nerf distributions. This indicates Counter-Terrorist rifle balancing requires additional developer attention and potential further adjustments.

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No reproduction without permission：Game Guides » How much pro players cared about last M4A1-S nerf? History of CT main rifle balance of the last years Analyzing the M4A1-S dominance and nerf impact on CS:GO competitive meta and player strategies