Counter-Strike 2 has been officially announced, and it will be available today for some. Valve writes on Twitter that a restricted test for CS2 begins today, describing it as an “overhaul of every system, every piece of content, and every aspect of the C-S experience.”
The Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test begins today. Read all about it here: https://t.co/r7pmUjE3av
— CS2 (@CounterStrike) March 22, 2023
The game’s website calls it “the biggest technical leap in Counter-history” Strike and promises updates and new features for years to come.
The game’s FAQ says the full game should come out in the summer of 2023. It won’t cost anything to play.
CS2 is built on Valve’s Source 2 engine and contains upgrades to several of the game’s key aspects, such as enhanced smoke grenades and “sub-tick updates,” which Valve claims would allow “servers to know the precise time that motion begins, a shot is fired, or a ‘nade is thrown.” (A video also shows someone using another grenade to clear grenade smoke.) The game will also have new maps, better graphics, a better user interface, new sounds, and more.
What can we expect from Valve?
Valve says in a video called “Leveling Up The World” that the maps in CS2 will look different but that the skills of experienced players should carry over. The company also talks about how the maps in the games are divided into three “tiers.” Some “touchstone” levels, like Dust II, are mostly the same but have a few small visual changes. These levels should help people get used to the new gameplay in a familiar setting. Some maps have been changed or updated by adding Source 2 features or starting over from scratch.
A tweet also says a specific bind exists to take off your weapon’s silencer.
The company says it will start a “limited test” on Wednesday and that people will be chosen based on “recent playtime on Valve official servers, trust factor, and Steam account standing.” If selected, you will see a message in the CS:GO main menu that lets you sign up. People can live stream and post gameplay videos, so even those who can’t play the game should be able to see how the smoke and lighting effects have been improved.
For now, you can only play the limited test in Deathmatch and “unranked competitive matchmaking” modes on Counter-famous Strike’s Dust II map. However, Valve says that other modes and maps will be added to the test in the future. The limited test is also only available on Windows, not macOS or Linux, and Valve’s Steam Deck handheld is not mentioned in the FAQ.
More is yet to come
Fortunately, Valve adds that all of your CS:GO equipment will be accessible in the new game, and that they will “all benefit from Source 2 lighting and materials.” Valve also mentions that “high-resolution models” have been added to all stock weapons. Those whose accounts were banned from playing CS:GO will also be unable to play CS2 on Valve servers, says Valve.
“The full range of new features will be announced when the game comes out,” writes Valve spokesperson Kaci Aitchison Boyle. “But during the limited testing period, we’ll evaluate a subset of those features to prepare it for a worldwide release.” Valve says there’s “much more to come” and that it will reveal all the details of Counter-Strike 2 in “a few months.” This suggests the company plans to add much more to the game.
The news follows weeks of rumors regarding a possible CS:GO update. This month, esports journalist Richard Lewis said that CS:GO will be changed significantly. Some users also saw references to the new game in updates to Nvidia drivers, and PCGamesN found that Valve had filed for a CS2 trademark just days before the game was announced. The update comes more than a decade after CS:GO came out and more than 20 years after the first CS game.
Valve chose an interesting time to make this announcement. The announcement came at Epic’s State of Unreal event at the 2023 Game Developers Conference, where Valve’s PC game shop and game engine rival is expected to disclose big changes to its own Unreal Engine.
