Source 2 update rumors for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) have been circulating. While there has been no official confirmation from Valve, various hints and leaks suggest that a new version, dubbed Counter-Strike 2, could be on the horizon.
All You Need to Know on Counter-Strike 2
CS:GO has been updated several times since its release in 2012, but it has never received a true sequel. Despite this, the game has continued attracting new players and maintaining a strong esports scene and a thriving economy of in-game items. It seemed unlikely that Valve would release a new version of such a successful game. Still, the recent discovery of CS:GO 2 executable files in an NVIDIA driver update suggesting a beta release in March has reignited speculation.
Source 2 Engine
The company’s newest engine iteration, Source 2, released in 2014, is already used for Dota 2, Artifact, Dota Underlords, and Half-Life: Alyx. Valve has yet to confirm whether it will upgrade CS:GO to Source 2; Lewis’ report suggests that the new version will include 128 tick servers and an improved matchmaking system.
Skins, knives, stickers, and other in-game items will not be deleted, as they are an essential aspect of Valve’s business model. Their removal would destroy millions of dollars of value and erode players’ trust. While Valve will work to keep the skins economy intact, Source 2 may allow skin creators greater creative freedom to develop more intricate designs, textures, and pattern templates than currently possible.
Counter-Strike Source 2 Release Date
According to Gabe Follower report, CS:GO 2 is set to release in March 2023 with a beta. While Valve has not confirmed this, various hints and leaks suggest that a Source 2 update could be dropped any day. The update will be a free opt-in DLC available to anyone who wants to participate in beta testing.
Name of the New Counter-Strike
Trademark registrations for just “Counter-Strike” suggest that “Global Offensive” could be dropped from the name. This has also sparked rumors that faction names “Terrorist” and “Counter-Terrorist” could be changed to soften the language.
Despite the rumors, CS:GO continues to attract new players and break player count records in 2023, more than a decade after its release, without significant updates.