Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) is a first-person shooter video game developed by Valve Corporation which is a part of the Counter-Strike series. It was announced to the public on March 22, 2023 with an tentative full release for Summer 2023 and a limited test beginning the same day.[1] It was officially released on September 27, 2023.[2]
This is the first game of the Counter-Strike series which utilizes Valve's Source 2 game engine and features major technological advancements since Global Offensive such as "sub-tick" net-code technology, new voxel based volumetric smokes, and a new toolset for developing maps.[3]
Gameplay
Almost all gameplay aspects in CS2 remains similar, if not the same to its predecessor, CS:GO; while features some changes, ranging from minor to drastic, to fully utilize the most out of the Source 2 Engine. Some of which include:
- Graphical updates:
- Better texture and light reflections across the surfaces of the maps, which helps improves visibility without external workarounds (e.g. increases monitors' color profile or use 3rd party software to boost shadows/eliminate dark colors, etc.).
- Support for real-time ray-tracing technology in the Source 2 tools
- Addition of NVIDIA Reflex
- Smokes are now volumetric, with the ability to adapt and interact with the surrounding environment:
- Lighting - spot lights are no longer visible through the smoke. Environment lighting is able to illuminate and cast shadows on certain parts of the smoke.
- Bullets - create small holes for the player to locate enemies in the smoke. This creates new, unique gameplay opportunities and adds risk when spamming smokes.
- HE Grenade - Explosions briefly dissipate smokes, allowing players to see what's behind them. Players can throw an HE Grenade from afar to assist teammates or go for a well timed underarm throw for a brief, risky window of time to shoot through the gap themselves.
- Features "sub-tick" technology, designed to relay information happening between distinct ticks to the server as a time value to be interpreted.
Weapons and equipment
All weapons that are used in the competitive and deathmatch mode in CS:GO have been transferred to the new game with more detailed models. Along with them, CS:GO's cosmetic items such as skins, stickers, and other types of knives were ported, though they still use the older versions of the models.[4]
Game Modes
Counter-Strike 2 contains several multiplayer game modes.
- Classic Casual and Classic Competitive: Classical game modes of Bomb defusal and Hostage rescue. Casual and Competitive have different rules to better suit casual players and competitive players.
- Bomb Scenario: The Terrorists must plant C4 at a bombsite and the Counter-Terrorists must defend the bombsite.
- Hostage Scenario: The Counter-Terrorists must rescue the hostages and the Terrorists must defend the hostages.
- Wingman: 2 versus 2 matches on small bomb defusal maps.
- Premier: A version of Competitive where the players select Active Duty maps to play through a veto system.
- Deathmatch: A game mode with instant respawns and the stimulation of fast-paced battles.
- Arms Race (added in update): Respawning deathmatch where players must progress through a list of weapons.
It has been confirmed that more game modes will roll out in future versions of the game.[4]
Maps
Map Updates
Counter-Strike 2 maps are classified in three distinct categories. The wide array of maps are designed to give the players some familiar maps like Dust II and Mirage to evaluate new gameplay changes, with others providing the player with entirely new experiences such as Overpass and Italy:
Touchstone
“Classic maps with solid foundations that players can use to evaluate gameplay changes from CS:GO to Counter-Strike 2. These have improvements to lighting and character read, but otherwise haven't been changed.”
―Counter-Strike 2: Leveling Up The World
Upgrade
“These are maps that use new Source 2 lighting, including a physically based rendering system that produces realistic materials, lighting, and reflections.”
―Counter-Strike 2: Leveling Up The World
Overhaul
“The overhauled maps have been fully rebuilt from the ground up, leveraging all of the new Source 2 tools and rendering features.”
―Counter-Strike 2: Leveling Up The World
Bomb Defusal
Active Duty Pool
Reserves Group
Community Maps
- Basalt (became official on November 13, 2024)
- Edin (became official on November 13, 2024)
Hostage Rescue
Wingman
- Inferno (Bombsite A)
- Nuke (Bombsite B)
- Overpass (Bombsite B)
- Vertigo (Bombsite A)
- Palais (became official on November 13, 2024)
- Whistle (became official on November 13, 2024)
Arms Race
- Baggage (released on February 6, 2024)
- Shoots (released on February 6, 2024)
- Pool Day (became official on June 25, 2024)
For community maps that have ever officially existed in the game, see Counter-Strike 2 Community Maps
Factions
Unlike Global Offensive, Counter-Strike 2 does not feature map-based factions, instead only two factions appear on all maps by default - SAS for Counter-Terrorists and Phoenix Connexion for Terrorists. However, it is possible to replace the default faction models with the Agents.
Agents are the custom character models that often include more complex details and accessories, and may also belong to a different faction, as well as have a different gender and voice.
Counter-Strike 2 features a total of thirteen unique factions:
Terrorists |
Counter-Terrorists |
Development
Minh Le's Project
The development of the sequel to the original Counter-Strike began in 2000, following the release of Counter-Strike 1.0.[5] The project was led by Minh Le, one of the original creators of the franchise.
Le envisioned Counter-Strike 2 as a significant evolution of the original game, with an emphasis on expanded gameplay mechanics and heightened realism. His goal was to create the most immersive counter-terrorism experience possible by introducing a variety of advanced features, including active civilians and hostages, human shields, attack dogs, riot shields, rappelling, and the ability to drive vehicles.[6] To achieve this, he decided to develop the game using Valve's Source engine, which was still in development at the time.[5][7]
Minh Le first publicly mentioned the development of Counter-Strike 2 in July 2001, referencing new player bullet hit animations.[8] Around the same time, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero was also announced, causing frequent confusion between the two projects and requiring the developers to clarify that these were distinct games.[9][10] Later, similar misunderstandings arose between Counter-Strike 2 and Counter-Strike: Source.[11]
In 2002, the only known footage of the game was featured in CBC's documentary "First Person Shooter".[12][13] The film primarily focused on concerns surrounding internet gaming cafés but also included a brief interview with Minh Le, showcasing him working on Counter-Strike 2. During the segment, new player animations were visible on Minh Le's computer, including a character being shot in the back and running with an assault rifle.
Gabe Newell's knife engraved with the Counter-Strike 2 logo
By 2003, financial difficulties and an ongoing legal dispute with its publisher, Vivendi Universal Games, led Valve Software to seek a new publishing partner for Counter-Strike 2 to secure financial support amid its challenging circumstances.[14] In May of that year, Valve reached an agreement with an unnamed company to publish the game. To commemorate the deal, Valve CEO Gabe Newell presented the publishing partner with a knife engraved with the Counter-Strike 2 logo.
After three years of development, Minh Le decided to halt work on the project, which had only reached approximately 25% completion.[5][15] Several factors contributed to this decision. Le faced difficulties in the game's development, as he spent most of his time learning how to use the constantly evolving Source Engine.[5][7] Moreover, working in an isolated environment limited his ability to generate new ideas and test his prototypes, as he had access to only two or three playtesters. He also struggled to introduce major innovations while preserving the core appeal of Counter-Strike, fearing that drastic changes would not be well received by the existing community.[6][15]
Despite this setback, Valve remained contractually obligated to release Counter-Strike 2 and planned to resume full-scale development following an extended team vacation after Half-Life 2’s completion.[16] However, the terms of the deal allowed the publisher to decide whether to proceed with Counter-Strike 2 once Half-Life 2 was released in 2004.[14] The publishing partner ultimately declined to move forward, and Valve returned the funds as stipulated in the agreement, shifting its focus to other projects.
In 2006, Minh Le departed from Valve, and two years later, he began working on a new project, Tactical Intervention, aiming to implement ideas he had originally envisioned for Counter-Strike 2.[6][17] Despite his ambitions, the development process was plagued by management challenges and resource constraints. Ultimately, Tactical Intervention was released in 2013 to mixed reviews, failing to achieve the success of Counter-Strike.
Source 2 Port
In 2008, the development of a successor to the original Source engine has began.[18] The primary goals of new engine was to improve performance, simplify game development, and implement modern features.[19] In the early 2010s, Valve developers began transitioning all their products and projects to Source Engine 2.0, including Counter-Strike.[20] At the time, these ports were not intended to be fully playable or publicly released but were created for internal testing of the new engine's capabilities.[18] Over time, most of these projects were put on hold, but the development of Counter-Strike's port to Source 2 continued at a slow pace for over a decade, eventually becoming a top priority after the release of Half-Life: Alyx.
The first public mention of Counter-Strike 2 since its last reference in 2004 emerged in July 2013, when a Valve project tracker from the company’s internal Jira system was uncovered.[21] This tracker revealed all Valve Corporation projects as of mid-2013. Among the projects listed was Counter-Strike 2, abbreviated as CS2. Subsequently, in January 2014, illustrations from a private Valve presentation on the Source 2 engine, held in the summer of 2010,[18] were leaked online.[22] Accompanying this leak was a file structure that revealed active Source 2 projects as of winter 2014, with Counter-Strike 2 listed among them, confirming its ongoing development on the Source 2 engine.[20]
On March 3, 2015, at the Game Developers Conference, Valve officially announced the Source 2 engine.[19] During the event, the company demonstrated gameplay of Dota 2, however, other projects mentioned in leaks, including Counter-Strike 2, were not showcased.
On April 11, 2017, during the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive launch presentation in China, Valve announced plans to port the game to Source 2 in the summer of 2017, along with introducing a new user interface called Panorama.[23] However, the Source 2 port was eventually delayed indefinitely, while the Panorama UI was released a year later, on August 2, 2018, as part of an update for CS:GO.[24] The UI itself was back-ported from Source 2 to the Source engine.[25]
Source 2 version of Dust II, made in early 2013
In March 2018, former Valve employee Roger Lundeen shared screenshots on his website of the development of revamped Dust II map for CS:GO dated March–April 2013.[26] The map's highly detailed design and advanced lighting, along with Roger's involvement in the early development of Source 2, suggested that the map was created using the new engine.
In the years leading up to the release of Counter-Strike 2, numerous leaks hinted that the game was nearing completion. These leaks primarily originated from game files of Valve titles built on Source 2, and later emerged from sources outside these games.[27] One of the most notable leaks occurred in the summer of 2022 when Valve developers were spotted playing Counter-Strike maps with the "_s2" postfix due to Steam's "Rich Presence" system.[28] Another high-profile leak happened in early 2023, when references to Counter-Strike 2 were found in NVIDIA graphics card driver settings.[29]
On March 5, 2023, esports journalist Richard Lewis, citing trusted sources, confirmed the imminent release of Counter-Strike 2.[30] He also revealed details about the game's new features, including an updated anti-cheat system, improved tickrate mechanics, enhanced competitive ranking, and upgraded graphics. Around the same time, a group of CS:GO content creators and casters traveled to Seattle, later revealing that they had visited Valve's headquarters and participated in private playtests of the game.[31][32]
Official Release
Counter-Strike 2 was officially announced on March 22, 2023, and three videos demonstrating changes made from Global Offensive were released.[3] Later that day, a beta version of Counter-Strike 2, known as the "Limited Test", was released to select Global Offensive players.[1] Throughout the existence of the Limited Test, new aspects of the game were made available for testing via updates, including upgraded maps, the revised weapon loadout system, and new authoring tools that allow players to design custom maps, weapon skins, and stickers. On August 31, 2023, the Limited Test was released to all players that have Global Offensive in Steam library and were active in competitive matchmaking.[33]
Counter-Strike 2 released to the public on September 27, 2023, replacing Global Offensive on Steam.[2] This took CS:GO down, with the exception of community servers, which are accessible via a "legacy" branch of Global Offensive. Several features from CS:GO were removed, including War Games and Danger Zone game mode, many official maps, and all 167 in-game achievements. In addition, support for the macOS operating system and older hardware configurations, including DirectX 9 and 32-bit operating systems, was discontinued, with future updates for Counter-Strike 2 being set to release only on 64-bit Windows and Linux systems.
Videos
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See Also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 @CounterStrike on X - The Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test is now live
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Counter-Strike 2 Steam announcement - Welcome Home
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Counter-Strike Official Website - Counter-Strike 2
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Steam - Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test F.A.Qs
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Interview with Minh Le. Published on Matthew Zegar YouTube Channel.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Minh Le on Reddit - IAm Minh Le, aka. Gooseman, co-creator of the original Counter-Strike and now Tactical Intervention, AMA!
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Jeuxvideo.com - Entretien avec Minh Le, créateur de Counter-Strike
- ↑ CS-Nation - CS2 Update. Archived from the original on 2004-04-05.
- ↑ Planet Counter-Strike - Neue Infos zu Counter-Strike 2. Archived from the original on 2002-06-29.
- ↑ Intelgamer.com - Counter-Strike: Condition Zero Interview. Archived from the original on 2002-01-27.
- ↑ CS-Nation - is counter-strike: source, counter-strike 2?. Archived from the original on 2004-08-23.
- ↑ CTV - First Person Shooter (2002). Archived on YouTube.
- ↑ CS-Nation - CBC mentions CS2. Archived from the original on 2004-04-05.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Valve on YouTube - Half-Life 2: 20th Anniversary Documentary.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Arcade Attack - Minh Le (Counter Strike) – Interview
- ↑ Gamereactor - Intervju med Valve
- ↑ IGN - The Next Counterstrike
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 The Game Awards on YouTube - Final Hours of Half-Life: Alyx -- Geoff Reads First 3 Chapters Live.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Valve - Valve Announces Link, Source 2, SteamVR, And More At GDC. Archived from the original on 2015-06-28.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Facepunch forum - Major Update Speculation Thread v23: the mind of the subject will desperately struggle to create speculation where none exists. Archived from the original on 2014-01-29.
- ↑ ValveTime - Half-Life 3, Left 4 Dead 3, Source 2 + Much More Found on Valve Project Tracker. Archived from the original on 2013-07-19.
- ↑ NeoGAF - l4d3? (Source 2 reveal)
- ↑ PCGamesN - CS:GO presentation confirms next operation in summer, Source 2, and AI cheat detection
- ↑ CS:GO Blog - Panoramic View.
- ↑ Valve Developer Community - Panorama. Revision as of January 28, 2023.
- ↑ Roger Lundeen's website. Archived from the original on 2018-03-29.
- ↑ A collection of CS2 leaks on Gabefollower's Pastebin.
- ↑ Gabe Follower • EN on YouTube - CS:GO on Source 2 - How we Spied on Devs & Found a Secret Beta Version
- ↑ Gabe Follower on X - Something weird just happened.
- ↑ Richard Lewis' website - Sources: Yes "Counter-Strike 2" Is Real And It's Round The Corner
- ↑ fl0m on X - So I can finally tell you. Me along with some other beautiful humans got to play Source 2 and im sorry for all that ive done.
- ↑ Christopher Alesund on X - I was so happy to get the try it out with mucho cool people and it's been hard to be quiet for some time.
- ↑ Counter-Strike 2 Steam announcement - Your Time is Now
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