Massive visual and performance overhauls are coming to one of the most played online multiplayer shooters in the Summer 2023 release of Counter-Strike 2.
Yes, that is the same Counter-Strike that you probably played back in 1999 at LAN parties with friends or at random internet cafes. I sure as heck did.
Counter-Strike has gone free-to-play since that time. And it still features many of the maps we all knew and loved, with the same core gameplay that made it an icon in PC gaming history.
The current iteration of the franchise has roughly a million players per month. So it’s safe to say that the series is doing quite well.
And it’s about to get even better.
Counter-Strike 2
All of our familiar favorite maps that have been around for over 20 years will still be in place, just with some massive improvements in every way.
Valve is advertising that all of your current strategies for your favorite maps will still (likely) be applicable.
But you should expect that those familiar spaces will look drastically different. And perform much better as well.
One of the main performance feature improvements that Valve is boasting is their new Sub-tick updates.
This means that the online servers are not going to be dependent on time interval checks for input. Which could be a cause for input lag and a delay in your shots.
Now the game should register your input at a sub-tick level, so there should be no obvious lag. Gameplay should be silky smooth and no blaming lag for missed shots.
Of course, all visual elements will see massive improvements. From lighting and textures to animations and UI. A truly extensive overhaul.
While I wouldn’t describe Counter-Strike as the pinnacle of visuals in 2023, it will certainly bring much needed improvements to a beloved franchise that still has a massive user pool.
Limited Test
The limited CS:2 test for “select CS:GO players” actually begins today. Which seems a bit unclear.
So to further clarify, the FAQ on the Counter-Strike website indicates that:
“Players are selected 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.”
“If you are chosen to participate in the Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test you will receive a notification on the main menu of CS:GO.”
The full release is expected to drop in Summer 2023, and it is still a free-to-play game title.
What’s not to love about that?
