Counter-Strike 2 is official, and it’s coming to some stores today. In a Twitter post, Valve writes that a limited test of CS2 is starting today, which it describes as “control over every aspect, every part of the world, and every part of the C-S experience.” The website for the game describes it as “the biggest technical leap in the history of Counter-Strike” and promises years of updates and new features.

The full game is expected to release in the summer of 2023, according to the game’s FAQ. It will be free to play.
CS2 is based on the original Valve 2 engine and includes updates to some of the game’s core mechanics, including better smoke cannons and “sub-tick updates” that Valve says will allow “servers the exact instant a move is initiated, a shot is fired; or a ‘swim shot’ is fired. (Video) it also appears to show some smoke from clearing a grenade with another grenade.) The game also has revamped maps, better visuals, UI enhancements, reworked audio, and more.
In a video titled “Leaving Up the World,” Valve says that new maps are available in CS2 but that experienced players’ skills should be passed. The company also talks about the three levels of cards in the games. There are “touch” levels, such as Dust II, which have minor visual tweaks, but are essentially unchanged and give people the feel of a new game in a familiar setting. There are also maps that have been upgraded or taken down, that have either added Source 2 features or been completely rebuilt.
There is also a dedicated bin
The company says that it will start a “limited trial” on Wednesday and that people will be selected to join it in factors such as “a fresh game on official Valve servers, a trust factor, and a standing Steam system.” If you’re selected, you’ll get a notification on the main CS:GO list when you sign up. People are allowed to see his experience and his posts, so even those of us who can’t play the game can have a good look at the improved smoke and lighting effects.
For now, you can only play a limited test of Counter-Strike II’s famous Dust map in Deathmatch and “competitive matchmaking modes,” though Valve said other modes and maps will arrive in future test releases. The limited test is also only available on Windows right now, not macOS or Linux, and the FAQ has no mention of Valve’s Steam Deck handle.
Fortunately, Valve says that all of the items that will be available in CS:GO in the new game will include “all the good stuff from Source 2 lighting and stuff.” Valve also notes that all stock weapons have been upgraded with “high-performance models.” The company also says that those whose accounts have been banned from CS:GO games will not be able to play CS2 or on Valve’s servers.
“The game’s full range of new features will be announced at launch, but in a limited period we will evaluate a subset of those features as appropriate for the world of release,” writes Valve spokesperson Kaci Aitchison Boyle. Valve’s plans look to add a lot to the game as well, as the company notes there. much more to come” and all the details of Counter-Strike 2″ will be shown in just “a few months”.
The announcement follows weeks of speculation about a potential CS:GO upgrade. This month, journalist Richard Lewis announced that more CS:GO content is in the works. Some have also spotted references to the new game in updates to Nvidia drivers, with PCGamesN finding that Valve filed for the cs2 trademark just days before it revealed its own. The update to the game comes over a decade after the launch of CS:GO and over 20 years after the release of the original CS.
Valve’s timing with this announcement is… interesting. The news dropped during Epic State’s Unreal event at the 2023 Game Developers Conference, where Valve’s PC game store and gaming engine is now expected to announce major updates to its Unreal Engine. This is the news for the next GDC 2023.