CS: GO 2, Valve’s Counter-Strike Successor Powered By Source 2 Is Set For A Big Reveal

Counter-Strike has been a staple in gaming since its first release in 1999, and has been in the eSports scene in some capacity almost the entire time. Recently, a rumor started circulating about the possibility of another installment in the wildly popular first-person shooter franchise. The latest iteration in the series, Global Offensive, is still one of the most-played games on Steam, according to the new Steam Stats page. Will there actually be a sequel to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and if so, what will it be like?

According to eSports journalist Richard Lewis and his sources, the sequel is very real and, from those who requested to remain anonymous, it has been in the works for quite some time. A recent Nvidia graphics driver update indicated a new executable "csgo2.exe," which lead many to speculate it might just be an existing CS: GO update to the Source 2 engine. That update should allow for higher fidelity graphics and other assets. This would likely come at a performance cost for lower-end computers of course as well. The Source 2 engine is what currently runs Dota2, Artifact, Dota Underlords, and Half-Life: Alyx. According to Richard's sources, the internal working title for this is "Counter-Strike 2," which will probably be the beta release name as well.


Most competitive gaming communities have quickly picked up new Counter-Strike titles when it fits the bill well enough, Counter-Strike: Source rapidly replaced Counter-Strike 1.6, while Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is the current top dog for competitive play. One of the big questions for competitive gameplay is whether or not the new game will support 128-tick servers. According to Richard's sources, the answer is yes, and there is also an indication of much-needed improved matchmaking. That should be good for casual and competitive gamers alike, allowing them to join matches within their skill level more easily. These changes should put the updated title on par with other popular competitive shooters, like Valorant.


The next question is, when is the beta set to be release? Right now, there is an indication of an early beta sometime this month (March '23), with an open beta being made available on April 1st. These dates are speculative of course, but provide a glimmer of hope for those who've been looking forward to the long-awaited sequel. There is currently no information or speculation on a full release date, however. Keep an eye here at HotHardware and we'll do our best to track Counter-Strike 2's progress.