Counter-Strike 2 is now available on Steam

Після 11 років з Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, гравці одного з найпопулярніших у світі FPS (із невеликою затримкою) отримали нову версію гри — Counter-Strike 2. Officially announced back in March, the update is now available on Steam and is expected to replace CS:GO (currently available through additional platform settings in the “Testing” section).

Counter-Strike 2, on the other hand, does not redesign the game’s principles, but brings a lot of updates and improvements. For example, the game is now built on the new Source 2 engine, has an updated HUD, maps, redesigned sound, updates to the Community Workshop, etc.

 A significant part of CS 2 is also updates to the server component, which Valve describes as tick-rate-independent gameplay:

Thanks to Counter-Strike 2’s sub-tick update architecture, servers know the exact instant that motion starts, a shot is fired, or a ‘nade is thrown. As a result, regardless of tick rate, your moving and shooting will be equally responsive and your grenades will always land the same way.

An important part of the update is also the “adaptive smoke”. It is now thicker, fills the space around it better, and interacts with other elements (disperses from grenades and gunfire, and reacts to lighting). 

The skill rating system has also undergone changes, with the addition of a map pool and new leaderboards (global and regional) in the competitive premiere mode.

At the same time, Counter-Strike 2 will retain the skins and stickers accumulated over the years of play that have been adapted to the new game. The basic look of the weapons, of course, has also been finalized with the new engine.

Counter-Strike 2 is a free update on Steam, which new players will not have to pay for either.