On March 2nd, prominent Twitter accounts @gabefollower and @aquaismissing tweeted about newly added Nvidia Driver support for applications named “csgo2.exe” and “cs2.exe”. The mention of these two titles has caught the attention of many, leading to speculation about the potential release of Counter-Strike 2, featuring Source 2 as a significant upgrade.
This news has caused a stir in the shooter gaming community, with many posting a simple tweet of “CS2”. According to Richard Lewis, a reader-supported publication, the beta version is indeed in development and is set to premiere soon.
Lewis states that it will be available this March and must be released by April 1st. Valve has reportedly been working on this edition for a long time, which may have affected their management of CS:GO. However, the game developers’ official channels have yet to confirm the existence of the new version.
On the cover.gg portal, you can have access to the latest updates, including the most recent database-related news.
How Important Would the New Version Be?
Valve’s recent focus with the beta has been to increase the player base for the tactical FPS title. And the upcoming version may help them achieve this goal. Here is how.
Source 2
The upcoming version of the title will be utilizing the Source 2 engine instead of the older Source engine from 2004. While this change in engine promises better graphical fidelity, it may lead to decreased performance on lower-end machines.
More so, since the Source 2 engine is already relatively old and has been used for popular titles like Dota 2 and Half-Life: Alyx, it’s possible that Valve may develop the sequel to CS:GO on a newer version of the same engine to optimize the game’s performance and graphics.
128-Tick Servers
Another important question regarding the release of CS2 is whether or not official servers will have 128 ticks, similar to Riot’s Valorant. According to anonymous sources, this feature will be available in the new version, and it is expected to be included in the beta release.
Updated MM System
The introduction of CS2 also brings with it the promise of an overhauled matchmaking engine, with the aim of eradicating the necessity for third-party matchmaking services such as FaceIT, ESEA or 5E Arena altogether. This has been a persistent problem within the community, with poor matchmaking and lengthy waits between rank-ups due to an unreliable system.
When Will CS 2 Enter the Competitive Scene?
Fans of the game can expect a significant improvement with the upcoming release of CS 2, which will offer better technology and a lower entry barrier. Professional players have already tested the new version at Valve’s Seattle offices, suggesting that a beta release is soon to come in addition to potential gameplay improvements. How long the current season can last before tournament organizers switch to the new version, however, is a subject of debate.
Based on past experience, it is likely that considerable time will be spent on rebalancing and adding new features before Counter-Strike 2 is ready for competitive play. Despite this, Valve has yet to address these concerns, causing uncertainty among the CS:GO community about the future of this tactical shooter.
The Future of the Franchise
The popularity of CS:GO as a competitive esport and its massive community has created a strong demand for an improved sequel. However, Valve has been taking its time with the release of CS 2, which raises the question of whether they have chosen patience over the popular choice to introduce it to the masses.
Despite the lack of confirmation from Valve and CS:GO official channels, it is crucial that they start making moves before their competitors take over. For instance, Valorant currently boasts a massive active player base of over 23 million compared to the 1.3 million of CS:GO.
The long-awaited update is expected to help Valve’s game regain its position as the number one tact-fps. Nonetheless, it remains unclear whether the new game will be separated from CS:GO, as it has been historically, or if there will be a merger like the one between Source 2 and Dota 2. The community eagerly awaits any news regarding the future of the franchise.
