One of the biggest updates of all time could be waiting for us in CS:GO next month. We are very excited.
More and more leaks indicate that the popular Source 2 engine will soon be available in Counter-Strike. The technology has even already been used for part of the game. We show you what”s behind the engine, what changes it brings and when the release is expected to take place.
What is Source 2?
Behind the name Source 2 is a 3D 64bit video game engine from developer Valve. It is the successor to the popular Source engine, which was used for titles such as Counter-Strike: Source, Half-Life 2 and many other well-known games from the developer.
As early as 2010, the first tech demos were created with Source 2. After a longer test phase, the engine was then also presented outside the company for the first time in 2014 at the Game Developers Conference. One year later, the company”s own MMO Dota 2 was given a new look with the help of the technology.
More video games followed, such as Artifact (2018) and Dota Underlords (2020). VR games are also supported by the technology. Half-Life: Alyx, among others, was also built with the engine. With the Panorama UI, elements are even already present in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
What will change in CS:GO?
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive will celebrate its tenth anniversary in August 2022. So slowly, the popular Esport title also deserves a new look. The new 64-bit engine could make a big contribution here.
With the help of Source 2, highly complex and detailed scenes are possible. Fans can already get a taste of this in the Panorama UI, which was released in 2018. Especially with the ray tracing technology, further graphics improvements are possible. With 64-bit support and the associated improved multicore rendering, performance improvements are also conceivable.
At the same time as the release of the new engine, a rebranding is apparently also planned. For the sake of political correctness and to attract more sponsors, a name change is on the agenda. Terrorists and counter-terrorists are to be called only T and CT in the future. The name of the game itself is also to be changed to “Counter-Strike”.
It is difficult to predict whether the gameplay will also change with the new engine. While minimal changes to the spray patterns or movements in the game are conceivable, we think a completely new approach to the game is rather inappropriate. Especially the esport scene, which has been established for many years, would be rather less enthusiastic about this.
When will the update come?
Much of the Counter-Strike community is expecting big fireworks for the game”s tenth anniversary on 21 August 2022. The release of the new Source 2 engine is also anticipated here. At least the release of a beta phase is conceivable in any case.
The date would make sense and could offer the community the long-awaited variety and change they have been waiting for for so long. There are no other hints or even a possible release date yet. Nevertheless, it could be that Valve prefers to take a little more time, as usual.
