Counter-Strike fans, are you ready for some big news? There is a strong possibility that Counter-Strike 2 (CS2), the long-awaited sequel to the legendary first-person shooter, will be released tomorrow, on September 27, 2023. This is not a joke. There is some solid evidence that supports this theory, and we are here to share it with you. In this blog post, we will tell you why we think CS2 is coming next week, and what you can expect from the game.
Update 20.45 UTC: CS2 just got released. Restart your Steam client and update CSGO to play!
Update 20.15 UTC: All CSGO servers as well as the matchmaking server infrastructure is currently down. It is likely that Valve updates these currently. Due to this, the current ESL Pro League Match also needs to play on local servers resulting in no weapon skins and no M4A1 for CT.
Update 18.50 UTC: We still have no confirmation but with the recent activity on the CS2 X account and a few speculations based on the past launches of Valve games, CS2 or a Open beta of it could be released around 21.00 UTC!
What points to a CS2 release tomorrow?
Posts on X/Twitter
There are multiple small signs showing that a release on 27.09.2023 is very likely. The main reason coming from the original source itself is a cryptic post from the CS2 account on the platform X (formerly Twitter):
What are you doing next Wednesday?
— CS2 (@CounterStrike) September 20, 2023
With this post, Valve the company behind the Counter Strike genre, is probably teasing something quite big for coming Wednesday and lets be honest what else than the official release of the follow up to one of the most well known E-Sport titles could it be. They also shared a video of the CS:GO logo being painted over by the CS2 logo.
Update 18.45 UTC: Valve also updated the banner on their CS2 X account. It now displays “Dawn of a new Day” implying that something big is going to change today!
Twitch Update
But that’s not all. There are other clues that point to the same conclusion. For example, Twitch has removed CSGO from its library of games and replaced it with a new category called Counter-Strike. This category includes both CSGO and the CS2 limited test, which is a beta version of CS2 that some players have access to. Twitch also shared a video on X showing the same logo transition as Valve’s tweet. This suggests that Twitch is preparing for the launch of CS2 and that CSGO will be replaced by CS2 soon.
Data miners
Another piece of evidence comes from data miners who have found more codes related to CSGO hidden inside the latest Dota 2 update. Dota 2 is another game by Valve that uses the Source 2 engine, which is the same engine that CS2 will use. The data miners found codes that refer to maps, weapons, skins, and gameplay mechanics of CS2. These codes indicate that Valve is testing some features of CS2 in Dota 2.
In the end all these clues point to the same direction: Counter-Strike 2 is coming on September 27, 2023.
What can we expect from Counter-Strike 2?
We already did a first look review of the CS2 beta on here but lets summarize the most important features shortly:
- Source 2 engine: CS2 will use Valve’s latest game engine, Source 2, which offers better graphics, performance, physics, sound, and modding capabilities.
- Sub-tick updates: CS2 will introduce a new technology called sub-tick updates, which will make the game more responsive and accurate. Sub-tick updates will let servers know the exact instant that motion starts, a shot is fired, or a grenade is thrown.
- Smoke grenades: CS2 will overhaul smoke grenades with volumetric smoke technology, which will create realistic and dynamic smoke effects. Smoke grenades will also have different properties depending on their type and location.
- Maps: CS2 will feature revamped maps that will take advantage of Source 2’s capabilities. Some maps will be unchanged or slightly tweaked (such as Dust II), some maps will be upgraded or overhauled (such as Overpass or Mirage), and some maps will be entirely new (such as Inferno or Cache).
- Furthermore Audio and UI will get a reworked and refreshed look.
How can I play CS2?
After the release Counter Strike 2 will be available on the Steam store. The same as CSGO it is expected to be free and available to everyone. However, it should be noted that with better graphics quality comes the need for a more powerful graphics card.
Conclusion
Counter-Strike 2 is the most exciting thing to happen to the Valve game lineup in years. It is a massive upgrade that will bring new life and innovation to the classic shooter. It is also a game that fans have been waiting for a long time, and it might be closer than we think. Based on the evidence that we have gathered, we believe that Counter-Strike 2 will be released on September 27, 2023. We can’t wait to see what Valve has in store for us with this game!
