Counter-Strike 2 is Real, Limited Test Begins Today

We all know Valve struggles to count to 3, since Half-Life 3 is nowhere to be seen, but some of us wondered if it forgot how to count to 2. Well, those jokes can be tossed in the garbage as Counter-Strike 2 has been officially announced and a limited test for the game kicks off today. There were some rumors creeping around the internet that an announcement was imminent and Valve confirmed Counter-Strike 2 will release sometime this summer. Best of all? It’s a free upgrade to CS:GO.

Based on the information Valve has released so far — and you can watch three videos highlighting some of these changes below — Counter-Strike 2 adds “game-changing” smoke grenades that actually interact with the environment, overhauls maps with upgraded visuals and audio, as well as a sub-tick update architecture so regardless of tick rate, moving and shooting will be equally responsive.

When Counter-Strike 2 actually goes live, everyone will be able to bring their entire CS:GO inventory with them, so all those items and skins you’ve collected over the years won’t be lost. Those items will also benefit from Source 2 lighting and materials, so they’ll get a visual upgrade as well. If you’re wondering why you don’t have access to Counter-Strike 2, Valve had this to say in a tweet:

Players are selected for the Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test based on a number of factors deemed important by the Counter-Strike 2 development team, including (but not limited to) recent playtime on Valve official servers, trust factor, and Steam account standing.

— CS2 (@CounterStrike) March 22, 2023

Counter-Strike 2: Responsive Smokes Video

Counter-Strike 2: Leveling Up the World Video

Counter-Strike 2: Moving Beyond Tick Rate Video