Everything you need to know about Counter-Strike 2 is right here!
Valve finally announced the rumored follow-up to the venerated CS:GO. Counter-Strike 2 is real, is coming soon, and looks awesome.
Counter-Strike 2 Maps
The first trailer showcases Valve's approach to maps, which is tertiary. Some maps will be kept the same, others will get upgrades, and there will be entirely new ones as well. They show off the enhanced lighting, which looks so realistic. Some of the oldest maps have been rebuilt from scratch.
What's more, all this will be available for players to create maps as they wish.
Counter-Strike 2 New Mechanics
Valve has shown off the new smoke grenades, an integral mechanic in CS:GO. In Counter-Strike 2, the smoke grenades behave much more realistically. The smoke adapts and fills the holes in the space around it, just like a real smoke might. Furthermore, gunshots and grenades can spread out the smoke, opening up vision holes.
It will be interesting to see what the players will come up when it comes to the smokes.
Counter-Strike 2 Changes
This might not be as "exciting" of a feature, but it is quite revolutionary, actually. Under the hood, Valve has made some incredible changes to Counter-Strike 2. Previously, the game measured activity in tick rates, which meant that technically it was possible for the server to be some milliseconds off from registering your input in a timely manner.
Now, Valve has upgraded to sub-tick rates, which will measure the exact moment of your activity to register your inputs. No more blaming the server lag for your missed shots.
There are lots of UI and audio upgrades as well.
Does CS:GO Gear Carry Over?
The answer to this is a simple, resounding yes. Not only does your entire CS:GO inventory carry over to Counter-Strike 2, it received a makeover. All the stock weapons are recreated in high-resolution models, and all the legacy models and finishes are supported. Some weapon finishes will utilize these remodels, too.
Anyway, the best news is: no need to start from scratch in Counter-Strike 2.
How to Enter the Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test
In order to play Counter-Strike 2, you need to be a little bit lucky. Basically, Valve will select you and invite you to play. They use a couple of factors to determine their choices, such as recent playtime on Valve official servers, trust factor, and the standing of your Steam account (there are other factors they didn't reveal). If you have been in good standing and actively playing CS:GO lately, chances are you might get selected, and they do mention that players get added over time.
If you are selected, you will receive a notification in the CS:GO main menu. Keep an eye there in order to play Counter-Strike 2.
As for game modes, there will be Deathmatch and Unranked Competitive matchmaking on Dust2.
See the Valve Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test FAQ for more answers.
Counter-Strike 2 Release Date
Counter-Strike 2 releases summer 2023. The exact date is currently not known, so expect a June-August release.