Finally, the release date of Counter Strike 2 has become known. Valve has just released the first trailer for CS2 showcasing the maps, features and first glimpses of the rebranded CSGO Source 2. You can watch it below.
Counter Strike 2 will be released in the summer of 2023 and will be available as a free update for CSGO.
After weeks of waiting and a lot of speculation, Valve has confirmed the release of CS 2 with a trailer outlining map changes.
Counter Strike 2 is slated for release in Summer 2023, but today is the start of a limited test period for select CSGO players.
“Counter Strike 2 is the biggest technical leap in Counter Strike history and will provide new features and updates for years to come,” Valve says. All new features of the game will be revealed after its official launch this summer, but the journey to CS 2 begins today as part of a limited test for select CS:GO players."
During this testing period, we will be evaluating some features to ensure any issues are resolved before the game releases worldwide." Counter Strike 2 will arrive this summer as a free update for CS:GO. So gather your gear, sharpen your skills, and prepare for what's next."
Valve describes how to qualify for the official Counter-Strike 2 playtest:
“Players are selected based on a number of factors deemed important by the CS 2 development team, including (but not limited to) recent play time on Valve's official servers, trust factor, and account health Steam, says the developer.
If you qualify, you will receive a notification in the CSGO main menu. More players will be added to the Limited Test over time. During the Counter Strike 2 test, players will still be able to log in and play CSGO.
All CSGO maps have been redesigned in Source 2 and received a completely new visual design. The cards were divided into three categories. Overhaul maps have been completely rebuilt from the ground up in Source 2, including Overpass. The "Upgrade" maps retain their CSGO geography but have been retouched using Source 2 lighting and physics technology - the Nuke map is confirmed to be an Upgrade map.
Lastly, "Touchstone" maps like the classic Dust 2 are used to highlight some of the visual changes between CSGO and CS2. They received a slight overhaul in terms of some effects and textures, but otherwise remained completely unchanged.
All Source 2 rendering tools and features will be available to community mappers in CS 2.
Smoke physics has been rebuilt, as well as lighting and other dynamic effects. The smoke will now dissipate when you shoot through it and fill in the environment more realistically.
Movement and shooting will also no longer be affected by the server's tick rate, providing a much smoother CS2 experience.
Blood and impact effects have been reworked to be more readable from a distance. What's more, blood splatter has been redesigned to be "directional" - if you see splatter on a wall, you'll be able to tell which direction the person was shot from, giving you an idea of where the threat might be.
When summer comes and CSGO moves to CS2, you will keep all your items, only now they will be visually enhanced with the latest Valve engine.
"Take your entire CSGO inventory with you into Counter Strike 2," says Valve. “Not only will you keep all the items you've collected over the years, but you'll also get Source 2 lighting and materials.”
“In addition to supporting older models and finishes, all stock guns have been updated with high-resolution models, and some gun finishes take advantage of these new models.”
The sound has been redesigned, as well as the physical elements and the entire user interface of Counter Strike. Although limited testing is only available to some players, it will give Valve a chance to iron out some of the features of CS2 ahead of the summer 2023 launch. You can visit the official website of Counter-Strike 2 here.
It's definitely time to take CSGO in our sights and also start polishing the CSGO ranks. You don't want to be left behind when Counter Strike 2 hits the market.
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