Counter-Strike 2, the much-awaited upgrade for CS:GO has finally launched after Valve first announced the game six months ago. The game has been in limited beta testing since the announcement in March and there had been no updates after that.
Valve recently teased the release date for Counter-Strike 2 in a not-so-cryptic post on X and the game has now finally launched. CS2 comes with various changes and improvements like redesigned maps, improved smoke grenades, improved network features, and more.
Counter-Strike 2 Launched On Steam For Free
After years of rumors about a new game in the Counter-Strike series, Valve announced Counter-Strike 2 and it was initially teased to launch in Summer 2023. CS2 uses the Source 2 engine and brings an overhaul, making everything seem different. The game is also free to play.
Also Read: Counter-Strike 2 Possibly Launching Next Week
There are new features and gameplay changes with arguably the biggest change, being smoke grenade physics. The smoke grenades can now be dispersed by HE grenades and it can fill spaces. This will make the smoke grenades an important part of strategic gameplay. Other than that, the UI is slightly different and better, and the revamped lighting system will bring more realistic colors and more.
Counter-Strike 2 brings fully overhauled maps that are built from the ground up and also has upgraded maps that use the new Source 2 lighting to give realistic colors and reflections. Slight variations have also been made to the Touchstone Maps. Additionally, all the inventory from CS:GO will also move to Counter-Strike 2, and with the changes via source 2, the skins look more vibrant.
Counter-Strike 2: Minimum System Requirements
CS2 is only launched for Windows PCs and there are no details on the Mac release yet and although CS:GO had a Mac release, it is very unlikely that CS2 will get a Mac release. CS2 is heavier compared to CS:GO. These are the minimum system requirements if you’re looking to play the game:
- OS: Windows 10
- Processor: Intel Core i5 750 or higher / Four Threaded CPU
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: GPU supporting DirectX11, 1GB VRAM, Shader Model 5.0
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 85 GB available space
The game has replaced CS:GO with its listing and will soon take over its predecessor’s place in the esports scene. All the ongoing tournaments will soon wrap up and CS2 will be the main competitive title.
There’s also a new “tick-rate-independent gameplay” that is described to aid servers in knowing “the exact instant that motion starts, a shot is fired, or a grenade is thrown.” Counter-Strike 2 is now available on Steam for free.
What are your thoughts about Counter-Strike 2? Are you going to play the upgrade to CS:GO? Let us know in the comments!
Source: Counter-Strike Net, Steam
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