Today Valve announced the next iteration of the ultra-popular Counter-Strike franchise, simply titled Counter-Strike 2.
We hear that the game will officially release in the summer of 2023, and we get three different videos showing innovations compared to the current version of the FPS.
First of all, the game will move on from updating every tick and will introduce sub-tick updates, meaning that the server won't wait for ticks to calculate your inputs and movements, reducing latency and improving responsiveness.
Maps have also been improved with a new look while retaining their foundations. We'll have Touchstone maps, which are classic maps from CS:GO that have received improvements to lighting and player-read, but haven't been otherwise changed. Upgraded maps have a full implementation of Source 2 engine lighting and physically-based rendering and reflections. Overhauled maps have been rebuilt from the ground up using all the tools and rendering features of Source 2. This has been applied to the oldest maps and the same tools will be available to community map makers.
On top of that, smoke Grenades now use dynamic volumetric effects and interact with the environment on top of reacting to lighting, gunfire, and explosions.
You can check out all the videos below.
The game is also getting a limited test for players selected by the development team itself according to metrics they deem important "including (but not limited to) recent playtime on Valve official servers, trust factor, and Steam account standing." Interestingly, there is no NDA on footage from the test, so even those who aren't selected will likely be able to take a good look at the early builds of the game soon.
The test will be available only on windows and no further information on platforms has been shared.
A FAQ has been provided with more details and we learn that all weapon finishes, stickers, and other inventory items from CS:GO will transfer seamlessly to Counter-Strike 2.
