The rumor mills are ablaze with Counter-Strike 2 announcements, the ever-popular Valve title. So, is a sequel coming soon? Let’s find out everything we know yet.
Counter-Strike first came out in 1999. It seems incredible that the game has been around for 24 years since it remains one of the most-played titles. Valve, the American video game company, struck gold with CS, the title that revolutionized the gaming landscape.
In 2012, the company launched Global Offensive. Not soon after, CS broke all-time highs on Steam, a global digital games store, for the maximum concurrent users. Both versions (classic included) enthrall games year after year, unfazed by competing titles. If rumors are anything to go by, the next version – Counter-Strike: Global Offensive – is finally set to release this year.
Is Counter-Strike 2 Truly Coming? When?
The Counter-Strike 2 sequel has remained vague for some time now. Gamers have been waiting impatiently, excited over rumors and disappointed when nothing became official. But it seems the wait is about to be over for good. The rumor mills are abuzz that CS: GO is almost ready for public beta testing. It could be here very soon – likely by the beginning of April 2023.
Has Valve Created NVIDIA Drivers for the newest CS: GO?
It sure looks like it. Earlier this year, a popular Twitter user (@gabefollower) discovered NVIDIA drivers titled “csgos2.exe” and “cs2.exe”. He is a trusted name when it comes to CS and Valve-related news. It seems probable that the company has been working hard on the graphics setup for their new title.
What will be the New Features in Counter-Strike 2?
It seems gamers have much to look forward to in the highly anticipated sequel. The new version will likely run on the Source 2 engine. It will boost the graphical fidelity and also optimize the performance. We think the two versions may exist alongside and possibly get merged at a later date.
Another mega bonus: Valve will improve the existing matchmaking with 128 servers (yes, much like the arch-rival, Valorant). This metric indicates the speed a server can process – so, the more, the merrier. It should be a welcome improvement on the status quo, which is inconsistent and time-consuming, especially between rank-ups.
The grapevine also hints that CS 2 will make third-party services like FACEIT redundant. The intrinsic system will be adequate for tailored gaming experiences.
However, the beta version might launch with the existing features as these enhancements seem incomplete until now. So, when the sequel gets announced, you should be able to use your skins per usual.
So, Should you Start Prepping for CS 2?
Well, it is never too early to start preparing. The Counter-Strike experience is unlike any other, and the most recent version should only make that awesome. Some anonymous sources report the upgraded content is undergoing thorough testing right now, with players flown into Seattle, Valve headquarters, to check for glitches.
That said, the company has not made anything official yet. We would advise gamers to wait for their confirmation. It should come anytime now.