Counter-Strike 2 officially announced and detailed, coming Summer 2023

Counter-Strike 2 officially announced and detailed, coming Summer 2023

And the moment has finally come. Valve has officially announced Counter-Strike 2, an upgraded version of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive on the Source 2 Engine. Counter-Strike 2 will be out this summer and you can find the first details below.


As Valve notes, Counter-Strike 2 is the biggest technical leap forward in Counter-Strike history, providing new features and updates for years to come.


Counter-Strike 2 will have reworked graphics and maps. Valve has rebuilt numerous maps from the ground up, taking advantage of all the new Source 2 tools and rendering features. Additionally, the team upgraded other maps using the new Source 2 lighting, including a physically-based rendering system that produces realistic materials, lighting, and reflections.


Additionally, Valve will release Source 2 tools and rendering features to community map creators to make it easier to build, experiment, and iterate.


One of the biggest changes in Counter-Strike 2 is the alt-click update architecture. So your movements and shots will be equally responsive, regardless of click speed.





Another big new feature of CS2 is smoke effects. Smoke Grenades are now dynamic volumetric objects that interact with the environment and respond to lighting, gunfire, and explosions. The shape of the smoke cloud can be propelled and hollowed out with bullets or grenades.





Valve also launched a Limited Test for select CS:GO players today. During this testing period, they will evaluate a subset of features to rule out any issues before they are released worldwide.


Counter-Strike 2 is coming this summer as a free CS:GO upgrade!