Counter-Strike 2 is now available as the wide release hits Steam

The long-anticipated overhaul of CS:GO, dubbed Counter-Strike 2, has finally launched on Steam, accessible to a wide audience.

Counter-Strike 2 was first revealed earlier this year. As a surprise announcement, Valve launched it in a limited testing phase. Since that time, Valve and its developers have taken community feedback to heart and have tweaked and balanced the refresh for its hit competitive first-person shooter.

The game, for all intents and purposes, overhauls the framework of CS:GO. After 11 years of support, it was time for a new coat of paint. Counter-Strike 2 is based on the publisher’s Source 2 engine. This allows the game to support updated audio, reworked UI, refreshed maps, and more. New features include dynamic smoke grenades, “tick-rate-independent gameplay,” and new Community Workshop toolsets. 

Early this year, Valve boasted that Counter-Strike 2 is “the largest technical leap forward in Counter-Strike’s history.” The enhancements and transition to Source 2 ensure the game can be updated with new features for many years.

The best part is that Counter-Strike 2 is available as a free download on Steam. Once installed, it launches as a direct replacement for CS:GO. Don’t worry, all of the items and cosmetics you’ve unlocked have carried over to the new version. 

Image credit: Valve

Via: The Verge