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Limited Test


Get Beta Access
The next era of
Counter-Strike
begins this summer
Counter-Strike 2 is the largest technical leap forward in Counter-Strike’s
history, ensuring new features and updates for years to come.

All of the game’s new features will be revealed when it officially launches this
summer, but the road to Counter-Strike 2 begins today as a Limited Test for
select CS:GO players. During this testing period, we’ll be evaluating a subset
of features to shake out any issues before the worldwide release.

Counter-Strike 2 arrives this summer as a free upgrade to CS:GO. So build your
loadout, hone your skills, and prepare yourself for what’s next!

Read on to learn more about some of the features of the Counter-Strike 2 Limited
Test.
Counter-Strike 2:
Responsive Smokes
Play Video
Game Changer
Smoke Grenades are now dynamic volumetric objects that interact with the
environment, and react to lighting, gunfire, and explosions.
Gameplay
Smoke now has the ability to interact with other gameplay events, creating new
opportunities. Bullets and HE grenades can push smoke to briefly clear
sightlines or expand occlusion.
Expands to fill spaces naturally
Now the smoke will seep out of opened doorways and broken windows, go down and
up stairs, as well as expand in long corridors and combine with other smokes.
Reacts to Lighting
In Counter-Strike 2 smoke particles work with the unified lighting system
allowing for more realistic light and color.
Counter-Strike 2:
Moving Beyond Tick Rate
Play Video
What you see is what you get
Tick rate no longer matters for moving, shooting, or throwing.
Sub-tick updates are the heart of Counter-Strike 2. Previously, the server only
evaluated the world in discrete time intervals (called ticks). 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.
Counter-Strike 2:
Leveling Up The World
Play Video
Cleaner, Brighter, Better
From upgrades to overhauls, maps are cleaner, brighter, better.
Full Overhaul Maps
The overhauled maps have been fully rebuilt from the ground up, leveraging all
of the new Source 2 tools and rendering features.
Example Map: Overpass
CS:GO
CS2

CS:GO
CS2

CS:GO
CS2

CS:GO
CS2

Long A
Lower Tunnels
Restroom
Bombsite A
Upgrade Maps
These are maps that use new Source 2 lighting, including a physically based
rendering system that produces realistic materials, lighting, and reflections.
Example Map: Nuke
CS:GO
CS2

CS:GO
CS2

CS:GO
CS2

CS:GO
CS2

Bombsite A
Ramp
T-Spawn
Tunnels
Touchstone Maps
Classic maps with solid foundations that players can use to evaluate gameplay
changes from CS:GO to Counter-Strike 2. These have improvements to lighting and
character read, but otherwise haven't been changed.
Example Map: Dust II
CS:GO
CS2

CS:GO
CS2

CS:GO
CS2

CS:GO
CS2

Back Plat
Long A Doors
CT Spawn
Mid Doors
Source 2 Tools
The Source 2 tools and rendering features will be available for community map
makers to make it easier to build, experiment and iterate. And stay tuned for
the Source 2 Item Workshop, which will be available later on in the limited
test.
Your Items in a whole new light
Bring your entire CS:GO inventory with you to Counter-Strike 2. Not only will
you keep every item you’ve collected over the years, but they’ll all benefit
from Source 2 lighting and materials.

In addition to supporting legacy models and finishes, all stock weapons have
been upgraded with high-resolution models, and some weapon finishes take
advantage of these new models.
Hi-Def VFX
From UI to gameplay, all visual effects have been reimagined.
All of the visual effects have been updated in Counter-Strike 2. With Source 2
lighting and particle systems, there’s an all-new look and behavior for water,
explosions, fire, smoke, muzzle flashes, bullet tracers, impact effects, and
more.
Gameplay Visuals
In Counter-Strike 2 the most critical gameplay visuals have been redesigned with
readability in mind. Bullet impacts can be easily viewed at a distance, and
directional blood impacts (that fade over time) give you more information as you
move through the world.
Environment Effects
Experience completely reauthored explosions, fire, C4 lighting, and more.
Leveraging the Source 2 Engine and modern hardware, environmental effects in
Counter-Strike 2 feature improved visual fidelity and greater consistency.
UI Enhancements
The UI in Counter-Strike 2 has gotten a complete overhaul, including fresh
visual effects throughout the HUD. Not only do these improvements look nice,
they also communicate important game state.
Accurate Audio
Reworked, Rebalanced, Reverbed
Counter-Strike 2 sounds have been reworked to better reflect the physical
environment, be more distinct, and express more game state. They have also been
rebalanced for a more comfortable listening experience.
There’s More to Come
The Limited Test only evaluates a subset of Counter-Strike 2's features, so that
major issues can be resolved before the summer. But there’s much more to come.
In just a few months we’ll reveal all of the details of Counter-Strike 2, and we
can’t wait to share it with you.
Counter-Strike, Counter-Strike 2, CS:GO, and their respective logos are
trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Valve Corporation. © 2023 Valve
Corporation, all rights reserved.