Valve announces Counter-Strike 2 with upgraded visuals, sub-tick architecture, and limited testing for select players

 

Valve has announced that Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) will be released this summer as a free upgrade to the existing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO). The game will run on the Source 2 engine, which was also used in Half-Life: Alyx. The limited testing for CS2 is currently available to select players who will be notified of their eligibility through a special message on the CS:GO main menu. The new game features several visual and technical upgrades, with classic maps rebuilt from scratch and new assets and physics changes. The Source 2 tools will be available to community map makers to experiment with textures and lighting. CS2 introduces a new sub-tick architecture that measures the precise moment of players’ actions. The game also has upgraded smokes with volumetric 3D fogs that interact with the environment. Players can keep their entire inventory of weapon skins and stickers from CS:GO, and any XP earned in the limited test will be carried over. Accounts with VAC or game bans in CS:GO cannot play CS2 on VAC-secured servers. Both CS:GO and CS2 will be accessible to players, but they can only play with others on the same version.