Calum Patterson
❘ Published: 2023-03-07T11:37:00
❘ Updated: 2023-03-07T11:38:11
A new NVIDIA driver update has opened the floodgates to speculation about a sequel or update to 2012’s Counter-Strike. But is CSGO 2 real? And if there is a Counter-Strike 2, what would change? Here’s what we know so far.
CS:GO has received a handful of major updates in its decades-long history, but nothing resembling a true sequel. During that time, player base has grown year over year thanks to strong core mechanics, a popular esports scene, and a thriving digital economy of in-game items.
For all these reasons, a “sequel” never seemed likely – why would Valve release a new version of such a successful and still growing game? However, when executable files of “CS:GO 2” were found in an NVIDIA driver update, the rumors reached a high point.
Article will be continued after viewing
Now, a report from Richard Lewis has all but confirmed the release of a Counter-Strike 2 beta.
But how exactly will CS:GO 2 look like? Valve would be foolish to kill the existing CS:GO due to the millions if not billions of values held in the skin economy. The engine may be outdated, but players have practiced thousands of hours to get good at it. There’s a lot to consider for Valve.
CS:GO 2: Source 2 Engine?
The most obvious change for any new release of Counter-Strike would be an upgrade to the Source 2 engine. CS:GO currently runs on the original Source engine which, although updated over time, dates back to 2004.
Article will be continued after viewing
It is very unlikely that this will be a “new game” – in fact it will just be CS:GO as we know it, but with the Source 2 engine. Consider it a major update to the existing game.
Source 2 is Valve’s latest version of the engine, released in 2014 and already used for Dota2, Artifact, Dota Underlords and Half-Life: Alyx.
ValveCS:GO is updated very rarely, with new maps and minor weapon tuning, but the player base keeps growing.
CS:GO has yet to be updated to the Source 2 engine, and Valve has so far avoided any official confirmation of this.
But on March 5, veteran esports journalist Richard Lewis reported that the Source 2 version of CS:GO will be released in the same month and will feature 128 tick servers and an improved matchmaking system.
Article will be continued after viewing
The new engine will also reportedly improve graphical fidelity and optimization.
Regarding maps, countless leaks and data mining have shown that Valve is working on a Source 2 version of maps that will be tested as early as 2020.
In July 2022, leakers confirmed the list of maps that have had Source 2 versions so far: Shoots, Inferno, Lake, Overpass, Shortdust, Italy.
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on esports, gaming and more.
Exactly what Source 2 would do is not clear. Valve couldn’t risk changing Counter-Strike’s core gameplay too much, but visual and technical improvements are on the horizon.
On March 7th, 2023, references to CS:GO were found in Source 2 in a recent Dota 2 update. Found in the game’s code, it shows cards, player models, cases, and sprays added to Source 2.
Article will be continued after viewing
While not concrete evidence, it does show the existence of a CS:GO port in Source 2 made by Valve. And pending official confirmation, it’s the best proof we’ve got so far.
Will skins be deleted with CS:GO 2?
No, CS:GO skins, knives, stickers and other in-game items will not be deleted. The CS:GO economy is an incredibly important aspect of Valve’s business model, and removing these elements or not porting them to a new version of the game would destroy millions of dollars in value and player trust.
Valve / LukusbumsCS:GO skins have continued to rise in price – this AK-47 is selling for $400,000.
It is estimated that around 30 million CS:GO cases were opened in February 2023, which means incredible revenue for Valve every month. Players tend to open crates due to the potential value of the items inside.
Article will be continued after viewing
While Valve would certainly work to keep the skin economy intact, it’s possible that Source 2 will give skin creators greater creative freedom to create more complicated designs, textures, and pattern templates than is currently possible.
When will the CS:GO Source 2 update be released?
Counter-Strike 2 is scheduled to be released with a beta in March 2023, according to Lewis’ report. The beta will be available no later than April 1st (no April Fool’s joke).
On March 6th, when the new Dota2 update went live on Steam, it also included various CS:GO strings detected by the Steam database tracker, SteamDB.
Another CS:GO update tracker on Twitter, Aquarius, summarized the update and confirmed what it means: “CS:GO Source 2 can now be dropped EVERY day. It will be a free opt-in DLC available to anyone interested in participating in the beta test. It’s real and it’s happening.”
Article will be continued after viewing
8. To wrap things up: CS:GO Source 2 can now be dropped every day. It will be a free opt-in DLC available to anyone interested in participating in the beta test. It’s real and it’s happening.
— Aquarius 2 (@aquaismissing) March 7, 2023
Trademarks registered only for “Counter-Strike” have also indicated that “Global Offensive” could be dropped from the name. This has also sparked some rumors that the faction names “Terrorist” and “Counter-Terrorist” might be changed to soften the language.
For now, the ever-popular CS:GO continues to set new player records in 2023, more than ten years after its release, and without any major updates. Valve doesn’t need to be in a hurry to release a CS:GO 2.
All Dust 2 Map Legends | The 20 Highest Earning CSGO Pros of All Time | Most Expensive CSGO Skins in 2022 | Best CS:GO Weapon Skins | Best smoking spots
Article will be continued after viewing
