‘Counter-Strike 2’ arrives this summer as a free upgrade for ‘CS:GO’

Certain players are being invited to a limited test that Valve is launching today.

The speculations were accurate: Valve has just unveiled Counter-Strike 2, announcing a restricted beta that would only be accessible to a small portion of the game’s fanbase. The sequel, according to the developers, will completely rework every system, piece of content, and aspect of the Counter-Strike gameplay. As anticipated, Valve is upgrading the game to the most recent iteration of its proprietary Source 2 engine, resulting in a notable improvement in visual fidelity.

Sharper graphics, more realistic lighting, and more geometry will all be present in the game. According to Valve, the Counter-Strike 2 level design team is using a three-tiered strategy. The only changes made to “touchstone” maps like Dust 2 will be to improve their lighting and readability. While this is going on, “Upgrade” maps will benefit from Source 2’s improved lighting pipeline for more realistic-looking materials and reflections. Finally, Valve intends to completely redesign a few levels, utilizing the full potential of its engine.

Improvements to the gameplay will also come with the switch to Source 2. starting with the operation of smoke grenades in particular. Smoke grenades will now exist as volumetric 3D objects within the game environment, according to Valve, making them responsive to other gameplay components and enabling users to temporarily alter sightlines with bullets and explosions.

The server infrastructure of the game is also being updated by Valve. It states that Counter-Strike 2 will include sub-tick updates, a function the developer believes will enable the game’s servers to be aware of a player’s movements, weapon fires, and grenade throws in real time. Theoretically, this ought to make the new entry feel like Counter-most Strike’s responsive version to date.