So is it Counter Strike 2 or Counter-Strike 2? (pic: Valve)

Valve has confirmed that Counter-Strike 2 is real and launching this summer, with a beta before that.

Even though everyone was expecting it, Valve has managed to catch Counter-Strike players off-guard by dropping not one, not two, but three separate trailers for Counter-Strike 2 out of the blue.

There were plenty of signs that Valve was gearing up to announce a sequel thanks to a new trademark, datamines, and an insider’s report revealing its existence.

However, these trailers mark the first proper look at the sequel and you won’t even need to wait much longer to play it, as Valve has Counter-Strike 2 scheduled for summer 2023.

It had been suggested that Valve was simply working on an update to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, to get it running in the Source 2 engine, and it turns out that theory was half right.

Counter-Strike 2 appears to be a separate sequel, not an update, but it’s built in the Source 2 engine, which Valve demonstrates with these new trailers.

None of the trailers are particularly long, but they do contain some pivotal details to highlight how Counter-Strike 2 will be improving upon the original.

Firstly, maps will see a visual overhaul thanks to Source 2’s tools and rendering features, with Valve calling the maps ‘cleaner, brighter, better.’

Secondly, the sequel updates the tick rate and this promises to be a significant improvement. Without going too deep into the technical details, Counter-Strike 2 promises to have servers that instantly recognise your inputs. So, there shouldn’t be any sort of delay between you clicking your mouse and your gun firing in-game.

The final highlight is smoke grenades. These are in the current game already and are obviously used to obscure an enemy’s vision and hide players on the in-game radar.

That doesn’t look to have changed for Counter-Strike 2 but the smoke itself can interact and react to the environment. For example, it will part when you fire bullets through it and it will naturally fill up nearby spaces.

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At the time of writing, the official Counter-Strike Twitter account appears to be down (not even a profile picture or banner), but we suspect Valve is in the process of updating it for Counter-Strike 2.

Valve has also confirmed a Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test (i.e., a beta) though it’s invite only. So, you can’t sign up to take part and whether you’re chosen to participate is determined by certain factors, like ‘recent playtime on Valve official servers, trust factor, and Steam account standing.’

You can find a full breakdown of what the beta entails over on the official website.

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Valve has confirmed that Counter-Strike 2 is real and launching this summer, with a beta before that.