Valve’s Counter-Strike 2 is available now on Steam

The long-awaited sequel is finally here.

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What you need to know

What you need to know

It’s finally here.

Counter-Strike 2 is available onSteamright now thanks to a surprise launch from Valve. The developer and publisheroriginally revealed Counter-Strike 2earlier in the year while sharing that the game would be released at some point in summer 2023. You can check out the launch trailer for Counter-Strike 2 below:

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As part of the overhaul and upgrade process that makes up Counter-Strike 2, Valve has retouched and redesigned classic Counter-Strike: Global Offensive maps. Different maps have received different levels of attention, with “Touchstones” getting only a little bit of work.

“Upgrades” now use Source 2-based lighting and physically-based rendering, while “Overhauls” were the oldest maps in question and have naturally gotten the most care throughout the development process.

Another big upgrade made possible by Source 2 is the new dynamic smoke grenades, which can radically alter the flow of combat due to the enhanced effects.

Counter-Strike 2: Windows PC requirements

Counter-Strike 2: Windows PC requirements

Due to Counter-Strike 2 being an upgrade over Counter Strike: Global Offensive, the PC requirements to play the game have naturally gone up. Here’s what you’ll need in order to run the game:

Analysis: Surreal and cool to see

It’s not a controversial statement to say that Valve doesn’t release many games these days, so it’s really cool to see something like Counter-Strike 2 happening. While I’m not a major fan of the series, I understand how important it is to millions of people, and these overhauls seem perfect for ensuring that it continues to remain popular.

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Samuel Tolbert is a freelance writer covering gaming news, previews, reviews, interviews and different aspects of the gaming industry, specifically focusing on Xbox and PC gaming on Windows Central. You can find him on Twitter@SamuelTolbert.