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Counter-Strike 2

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Overview


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: Respawning deathmatch where players must progress through a list of weapons.
  • Retakes: A fast-paced game mode where 3 Terrorists defend a planted bomb from 4 Counter-Terrorists.

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 Group

Hostage Rescue

Wingman

Arms Race

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 factions with the Agents.

Agents are customizable character models that often feature more detailed designs, additional accessories, and unique visual elements. They may also belong to different factions, have distinct voice lines, and even be of a different gender.

Counter-Strike 2 features a total of thirteen unique factions:

Terrorists

Counter-Terrorists

Development

Minh Le's Project

The development of Counter-Strike 2 began long before its eventual release in 2023 and went through several iterations over the years. Work on a sequel to the original Counter-Strike began in early 2001, following the release of Counter-Strike 1.0.[5][6] At that time, 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.[7] To achieve this, he decided to develop the game using Valve's Source engine, which was still in development at the time.[5][6][8][9]

Character animation developed by Minh Le for Counter-Strike 2

Character animation developed by Minh Le for Counter-Strike 2

Public discussions about Counter-Strike 2 emerged in January 2001, when Minh Le stated that he viewed the original Counter-Strike as finished product and was thinking about creating a sequel, but had not yet started development because the Source engine was not ready.[8] However, on May 15, 2001, Valve CEO Gabe Newell confirmed that Le had begun work on Counter-Strike 2, using the Source engine, the same technology powering Team Fortress 2: Brotherhood of Arms.[5] In July 2001, Le himself confirmed he was developing CS2, noting that he planned to work on new player bullet hit animations.[10]

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.[11][12] Later, similar misunderstandings arose between Counter-Strike 2 and Counter-Strike: Source.[13]

In 2002, the only known footage of the game was featured in CBC's documentary "First Person Shooter".[14][15][16] 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.

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.[17] In April of that year, Valve reached an agreement with Activision to publish the game.[18] To commemorate the deal, Gabe Newell presented the publishing partner with a knife engraved with the Counter-Strike 2 logo.

After three years of development, in 2004, Minh Le decided to halt work on the project, which had only reached approximately 25% completion.[6][16][19] Several factors contributed to this decision. Le encountered significant challenges during development, spending much of his time learning how to work with the still-evolving Source engine.[6][9][20] Additionally, he was working on the project remotely from home, and the isolation from other developers limited his ability to generate ideas and test prototypes, as he had access to only two or three playtesters. He also struggled to implement major innovations without compromising the core appeal of Counter-Strike, fearing that drastic changes might alienate the existing player base.[7][19]

Gabe Newell's knife engraved with the Counter-Strike 2 logo

Gabe Newell's knife engraved with the Counter-Strike 2 logo

Despite the project's suspension, Valve was still contractually obligated to release Counter-Strike 2 and intended to resume development following an extended team break after the completion of Half-Life 2.[21] However, the terms of the deal allowed the publisher to decide whether to proceed with Counter-Strike 2 once Half-Life 2 was released.[17] Ultimately, Activision 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 later began working on a new project, Tactical Intervention, aiming to implement ideas he had originally envisioned for Counter-Strike 2.[7][22] 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.

Valve's Shift

Although Counter-Strike 2’s development was shelved and progress stalled after Minh Le’s departure, public references to it by Valve employees had already stirred anticipation within the community.[5] People continued to ask about the project’s status, despite a clear lack of progress.[23]

In 2008–2009, several years after Minh Le left the project, a prototype for a new entry in the Counter-Strike series, codenamed CS2, was in development.[24][25] Led by Ido Magal and Matt Wood, both of whom had prior experience with Counter-Strike titles, the project drew inspiration from innovative shooters at that time, such as Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Little is known about the prototype’s gameplay or mechanics, as development was short-lived and shelved as the team shifted focus to other projects.

By the early 2010s, Counter-Strike's player base had begun to decline due to outdated graphics, the lack of updates, and the rise of more modern shooters. Professional tournament organizers and sponsors were also moving away from the title.[26] Valve did not have the time to revive the development of Counter-Strike 2 to preserve the franchise, however, around this period, the company collaborated with Hidden Path Entertainment on a console port of Counter-Strike: Source. To maintain the series’ relevance, the project was redirected to PC and reworked into a new main installment, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.[27] While some ideas from the CS2 prototype were carried over,[25] the developers did not consider CS:GO to be a true sequel.[28] Instead, it was positioned as a transitional step to sustain the franchise and serve as a foundation for defining what a full successor could be.[27][29]

Parallel to these efforts, Valve began developing a successor to the original Source engine in 2008, aiming to simplify game development and enhance content creation efficiency.[30][31][32] By 2010, Valve developers started porting their games to Source Engine 2.0 for internal testing to evaluate the engine’s capabilities.[30][33] Since Source 2 was still in its early stages, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive was released in 2012 using the original Source engine. According to Chet Faliszek, the decision was driven by the team’s familiarity with the existing tools and pipeline, although he acknowledged that a future engine transition could still be possible.[34]

On November 3, 2012, following several leaks and a protest organized by users of 4chan outside Valve’s headquarters, Gabe Newell publicly confirmed that a new engine was in development, and stated that the company was waiting for the right game to launch it with.[33][35]

Source 2 version of , made in early 2013

Source 2 version of Dust II, made in early 2013

In June 2013, a Valve project tracker from the company’s internal Jira system was uncovered.[36] This tracker detailed every project that had ever existed within Valve, along with the teams assigned to them. Among the listed projects was Counter-Strike 2, abbreviated as CS2. In response to rising speculation, Matt Wood clarified that this was the project from the late 2000s and stated that it was not in active development for a long time.[25]

In January 2014, illustrations from a private Valve presentation on the Source 2 engine, originally held in the summer of 2010,[30] were leaked online.[33][37] These were accompanied by a backend file structure that listed Valve’s active Source 2 projects, with CS2 among them, contradicting earlier statements and confirming its ongoing development on new engine.

On March 3, 2015, at the Game Developers Conference, Valve officially announced the Source 2 engine.[32] During the event, the company demonstrated gameplay of Dota 2, however, other projects mentioned in leaks, including Counter-Strike 2, were not showcased.

On January 17, 2017, Gabe Newell stated that Source 2 was Valve’s primary game development platform and that several unannounced projects were being built on it.[38] He expressed a desire to unify all of Valve’s game development under a single engine. Ido Magal added that Source 2 includes several rewritten systems, and some CS:GO components, such as the new user interface, are already being developed using Source 2 technology.[39] However, he noted that certain Source 2 systems might not be suitable for CS:GO.

Announcement of Panorama UI during the “Hello CS” presentation in China

Announcement of Panorama UI during the “Hello CS” presentation in China

On April 11, 2017, during the “Hello CS” presentation in China, Valve and Perfect World announced Panorama, a new Source 2-based user interface for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, slated for release in summer 2017.[40] A mistranslation of the presentation led to confusion in the community, with many believing the entire game would be ported to Source 2 that summer. In reality, only the Panorama UI was planned, and it was eventually released on August 2, 2018, as part of an update for CS:GO.[41]

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.[42] The map's highly detailed design and advanced lighting, along with Lundeen'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.[43] 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.[44] Another high-profile leak happened in early 2023, when references to Counter-Strike 2 were found in NVIDIA graphics card driver settings.[45]

On March 5, 2023, esports journalist Richard Lewis, citing trusted sources, confirmed the imminent release of Counter-Strike 2.[46] 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.[47][48]

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.[49]

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.

System requirements

The official minimum requirements are Windows 10 (64-bit), an Intel Core i5-750 or higher CPU, 8 GB of RAM, and a graphics card with at least 1GB of memory (DirectX 11 and Shader Model 5.0 compatible). [50][51]

Many players were initially disappointed by the increased requirements and experienced lag on low-end machines. Although Counter-Strike 2 has higher system requirements compared to Global Offensive, the community has found ways to optimize the game for weaker hardware. Players on low-end systems are advised to reduce graphics settings, such as lowering shadow and texture quality, disabling MSAA, FXAA, and V-Sync, in order to achieve more stable frame rates.[52]

Videos

Counter-Strike_2_-_Launch_Trailer Counter-Strike_2-_Beyond_Global Counter-Strike_2-_Responsive_Smokes Counter-Strike_2-_Leveling_Up_The_World Counter-Strike_2-_Moving_Beyond_Tick_Rate

See Also

External links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 @CounterStrike on X — The Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test is now live
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Counter-Strike 2 Steam announcement — Welcome Home
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Counter-Strike Official Website — Counter-Strike 2
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Steam - Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test F.A.Qs
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Gabe Newell's reply on Voodoo Extreme. Archived from the original on 2001-05-27.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Interview with Minh Le. Published on Matthew Zegar YouTube Channel.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Minh Le on Reddit — IAm Minh Le, aka. Gooseman, co-creator of the original Counter-Strike and now Tactical Intervention, AMA!
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 FiringSquad — Gooseman Counter-Strike Interview (Page 4). Archived from the original on 2001-04-29.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Jeuxvideo.com — Entretien avec Minh Le, créateur de Counter-Strike
  10. ↑ CS-Nation — CS2 Update. Archived from the original on 2004-04-05.
  11. ↑ Planet Counter-Strike — Neue Infos zu Counter-Strike 2. Archived from the original on 2002-06-29.
  12. ↑ Intelgamer.com — Counter-Strike: Condition Zero Interview (Page 2). Archived from the original on 2001-12-22.
  13. ↑ Computer & Video Games — Counter-Strike Source: Valve squezzed for info. Archived from the original on 2004-08-14.
  14. ↑ CTV — First Person Shooter (2002). Archived on YouTube.
  15. ↑ CS-Nation — CBC mentions CS2. Archived from the original on 2004-04-05.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 DeZolance on YouTube - The Creator of Counter Strike Tells Us Everything
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Valve on YouTube - Half-Life 2: 20th Anniversary Documentary.
  18. ↑ GameSpot — Valve signs with Activision, exclusive Day of Defeat screens.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Arcade Attack — Minh Le (Counter Strike) – Interview
  20. ↑ Dust2.us — Interview with CS co-Creator Gooseman: Early CS years, hardships, and creating Alpha Response.
  21. ↑ Gamereactor — Intervju med Valve
  22. ↑ IGN - The Next Counterstrike
  23. ↑ ESL Archives on YouTube — "Gabe, when are you going to release Counter-Strike 2?"
  24. ↑ Matt T. Wood Interview (Half Life 2, Portal 2, CS:GO, Valve, Little Kitty Big City etc.). YouTube.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 CSGO to be Replaced by "Counter-Strike 2"? Archived on valvearchive.com.
  26. ↑ Red Bull Gaming on YouTube — Memories of CS:GO - The Early Years
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Chet Faliszek on YouTube — CounterStrike 2.
  28. ↑ Kotaku — What the New Counter-Strike Is and Isn't, According to Valve
  29. ↑ Counter-Strike Go Q and A. GameSpot on YouTube.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 The Game Awards on YouTube — Final Hours of Half-Life: Alyx -- Geoff Reads First 3 Chapters Live.
  31. ↑ Reddit — What improvements will we see out of the Source 2 engine?
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Valve — Valve Announces Link, Source 2, SteamVR, And More At GDC. Archived from the original on 2015-06-28.
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 Coding Range — Retrospective: Source 2 Leaks versus Reality.
  34. ↑ Gaming Lives — Counter-Strike: Global Offensive – Interview with Chet Faliszek.
  35. ↑ Eurogamer — Gabe Newell confirms Valve working on Source 2.
  36. ↑ 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.
  37. ↑ 2014 NeoGAF leak. Archived on valvearchive.com.
  38. ↑ Reddit — Does Valve plan on doing anything with Source 2 in the coming years? If so, what?
  39. ↑ Reddit — When is the Source 2 engine coming out for CSGO??
  40. ↑ PCGamesN — CS:GO presentation confirms next operation in summer, Source 2, and AI cheat detection
  41. ↑ CS:GO Blog — Panoramic View.
  42. ↑ Roger Lundeen's website. Archived from the original on 2018-03-29.
  43. ↑ A collection of CS2 leaks on Gabefollower's Pastebin.
  44. ↑ Gabe Follower • EN on YouTube — CS:GO on Source 2 - How we Spied on Devs & Found a Secret Beta Version
  45. ↑ Gabe Follower on X — Something weird just happened.
  46. ↑ Richard Lewis' website — Sources: Yes "Counter-Strike 2" Is Real And It's Round The Corner
  47. ↑ 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.
  48. ↑ 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.
  49. ↑ Counter-Strike 2 Steam announcement — Your Time is Now
  50. ↑ Steam official website — Counter-Strike 2 on Steam
  51. ↑ PC Games — CS2 system requirements
  52. ↑ CSMarketCap — How to Play CS2 on a Low-End PC
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