In the wake of all the news surrounding Counter Strike 2 it appears that the game files for the beta version have found their way online. Counter Strike: Global Offensive is one of the most popular and competitive first-person shooters in the world. It first launched in 2012 running on Valve's Source engine. Source 2 is a newer version of the engine that first saw use when DOTA 2 was ported to run on it in 2015. Naturally this was followed by the question of when CS:GO would receive the Source 2 treatment and now, 8 years later Counter Strike 2 is finally happening.In recent weeks Valve has begun the groundwork for the long-awaited overhaul of CS:GO. Gamers first got wind of this via dataminers who found evidence that Counter Strike 2 was in development in an Nvidia driver leak. This evidence was corroborated when Valve filed some new Counter Strike related trademarks. It was only a matter of time before Valve officially confirmed the existence of Counter Strike 2, announcing that the game would be released in Summer 2023 after a limited test where select players were given access.Someone has already leaked the beta game files for Counter Strike 2 online. The leaked version is reportedly only playable offline and like any software acquired through illicit means it potentially contains some kind of malware. Understandably there are many excited players who may be tempted if they have not been given access to the official limited test, but it would be advisable to patiently await the official release and avoid potential exposure to harmful code. Valve has also cautioned players about Counter Strike 2 limited test scams, describing exactly how players are invited to take part.
Counter Strike 2 has been touted as the biggest technical leap forward in the history of the franchise and has generated a lot of buzz within the community. CS:GO has recently broken its all-time concurrent player record for the second time in 2023, a testament to the enduring popularity of Valve's tactical first-person shooter. It will be interesting to see how the community as a whole reacts later this year when Counter Strike 2 is officially rolled out.
While the game remains an elusive mystery to many players who have not been invited to take part in the closed beta, some importand details about Counter Strike 2 have been disclosed. Valve has also confirmed that account bans and weapon skins will be carried over to the new game.
Counter-Strike 2 will be released in the summer of 2023 for PC.