After years of rumors and speculation, it seems that Counter-Strike 2 might finally be a reality. According to recent reports from reputable sources, an update to the game that players have been eagerly waiting for might be just around the corner. The new release is expected to be a rebranding of the popular game with major improvements and features that players have been requesting for years.
WHAT IS COUNTER-STRIKE 2?
At present, it is unknown whether the potential CS2 will be a simple Source 2 port or a full-fledged continuation of CS:GO. Rumors first surfaced after a recent NVIDIA driver update added support for executable files “csgos2.exe” and “cs2.exe.” This was only the beginning, and in the following days, more rumors appeared.
On March 5, the authoritative CS:GO news journalist Richard Lewis posted about Counter-Strike 2. In this post, Lewis claims that an anonymous source told him details about the upcoming game, including huge news that it will indeed be a rebranding as Counter-Strike 2.
The specifics of Counter-Strike 2 seem to be a checklist of everything players have been asking for from CS:GO for many years. Lewis claims that Counter-Strike 2 will run on 128-tick servers, which will finally bring the game in line with Valorant. Additionally, the player matchmaking system will be overhauled to eliminate unbalanced matchmaking and long times between rank upgrades. This, as well as improved graphics thanks to the transition to the Source 2 engine. Valve hopes that these improvements will eliminate the need for third-party services like FACEIT.
Online players flocked to the post. Richard Lewis rarely misses, and if he says something, most people take it as true.
WHEN CAN WE PLAY COUNTER-STRIKE 2?
Perhaps the biggest revelation of Lewis’s message is that the Counter-Strike 2 beta will reportedly launch this month. After many years of silence, such a drop would be huge for CS:GO. Currently, the game already sees record numbers of players every weekend, and this could lead to another big surge in interest.
There has been a lot of noise about how the transition will affect the professional scene. If CS2 becomes a full-fledged release, players can still play the original CS:GO, and it would be difficult to imagine professionals immediately switching to it. Players took some time to transition from CS 1.6 after the release of CS:GO, and the same thing could happen here. If rumors are to be believed, CS2 has already undergone extensive testing by professionals. Former player gAuLeS fueled speculation by hinting on Twitter that he recently visited Seattle, just a few miles from Valve’s headquarters in Bellevue, Washington.
There is still much uncertainty around Counter-Strike 2, with many facts hidden, and no official confirmation from Valve yet.
Unanswered Questions
While the prospect of a new version of the game is exciting, there are still many unanswered questions. It remains unclear whether Counter-Strike 2 will be a full sequel or simply a port to Source 2. Additionally, there is uncertainty about how the transition will affect the pro scene, with some players and fans speculating that it may take some time for players to fully transition to the new game.
Sources:
- The official Counter-Strike website: https://counter-strike.net/
- The Counter-Strike subreddit, where news and discussion about the game can be found: https://www.reddit.com/r/GlobalOffensive/
- The HLTV website, which provides news and information about the competitive CS:GO scene: https://www.hltv.org/
- The Twitter account of Richard Lewis, the journalist mentioned in the article: https://twitter.com/RLewisReports
