Counter-Strike 2 Officially Revealed, Limited Test Announced

By Tanner Dedmon

Counter-Strike 2 was officially revealed by Valve on Wednesday, a game that's presented as an evolution of what's already regarded as one of the most popular (if not the most popular overall) first-person shooters of all time. This new take on Counter-Strike consists of not just a number of updated features but is meant to be "an overhaul to every system, every piece of content, and every part of the C-S experience," Valve said. A few of those updated features were shown off in new gameplay alongside the announcement and the reveal of a limited test that's starting today. The game itself is scheduled to be released in the summer and will be a free upgrade for those who own Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

The reveal of Counter-Strike 2 was preceded by a number of teases and updates via Steam that hinted at such an announcement. A couple of videos discussing Counter-Strike 2 went live on Wednesday on Valve's YouTube channels, and shortly afterwards, the official Counter-Strike Twitter account started tweeting about the new game and sharing more details.

In a new site set up for the game, Valve called it the "largest technical leap forward in Counter-Strike's history." Improvements to things like tick rates, maps, and smoke grenades were shown off in some of the videos revealed on Wednesday. Valve says this is only a taste of the game's updated features, but the limited test live this week will let players try them out firsthand.

"All of the game's new features will be revealed when it officially launches this summer, but the road to Counter-Strike 2 begins today as a Limited Test for select CS:GO players," Valve said. "During this testing period, we'll be evaluating a subset of features to shake out any issues before the worldwide release."

Gaining access to this test apparently isn't as easy as entering in an email or submitting a request. Valve says it's picking people based on factors like recent playtime, "trust factor," and the standing of your Steam account. If you're picked to take part in the test, you'll get a notification in the CS:GO menu. More players will be added over time, so you may not get in right away.

"The Limited Test only evaluates a subset of Counter-Strike 2's features, so that major issues can be resolved before the summer. But there's much more to come," Valve said in closing. "In just a few months we'll reveal all of the details of Counter-Strike 2, and we can't wait to share it with you."

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