‘CS:GO’ update suggests ‘Counter-Strike 2’ launch is imminent

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) has been updated to include Source 2, suggesting Valve is preparing to launch Counter-Strike 2.

As spotted by Twitter user @aquaismissing, CS:GO‘s back-end files have been updated on Steam to include Valve’s Source 2 engine on the developer pre-release branch.

The change is logged on SteamDB, with the pre-release branch suggesting that Valve is preparing to bring CS:GO onto its upgraded Source 2 engine.

SOURCE 2 HAS BEEN ADDED TO DEVELOPER PRE-RELEASE BRANCH!https://t.co/Fv33DwsGvP pic.twitter.com/6mLteY2FoU

— Aquarius (@aquaismissing) March 14, 2023

It’s the latest in a string of hints that suggest Counter-Strike 2 is on the way, with files titled ‘csgo2.exe’ and ‘cs2.exe’ appearing in Nvidia’s latest driver update.

Since then, it has been reported that Valve has Counter-Strike 2 “ready to go” with a beta this month.

According to journalist Richard Lewis, the Source 2 shooter will “almost certainly” be titled Counter-Strike 2, and a number of professional Counter-Strike players have already tested the upcoming game.

It’s also reported that the sequel will introduce better matchmaking, visuals and optimisation; and introduce more responsive 128-tick servers to the series.

Lewis has also claimed that Counter-Strike 2 has been in development for a while, and is the reason why some of CS:GO’s issues are yet to be addressed.

“The big priority is getting this out and then polishing it, fixing any bugs and bringing it up to the level people expect from CS,” a source told Lewis.

Though mounting evidence suggests Counter-Strike 2 is not far off, Valve has yet to comment on the rumoured shooter. However, CS:GO received a surprise update last month that introduced a Denzel Curry collaboration to the game.

In other gaming news, Battlefield 2042 is currently free to play on Steam this week.

Available for free until March 16, the shooter is currently enjoying a resurgence in popularity after struggling with a poorly-received launch in 2021.