In context: It is onerous to say what Valve is healthier recognized for — creating the Half-Life franchise or by no means finishing it. As you might recall, Half-Life 2: Episode Two ended on a significant cliffhanger that will have been resolved in Episode Three had Valve not inexplicably deserted it.

Valve’s stay service recreation Counter-Strike: International Offensive, generally generally known as CS:GO is in an analogous boat. The multiplayer FPS doesn’t require an finish. In spite of everything, it does not actually have a narrative. Nonetheless, it’s a fashionable aggressive shooter that also maintains a considerable variety of customers. Now it seems that perhaps the sport is getting a sequel, or in any case, a large improve.

The rumors began simmering when the official CS:GO Twitter account modified its banner picture a couple of week in the past. It led to delicate hypothesis on Reddit that Valve was getting ready to rebrand the sport or port it to the Supply 2 engine or each. Then once more, Twitter account adjustments are a weak indication that something is certainly occurring, so the bluster subsided rapidly.

Then on March 1, knowledge miners trying on the latest Nvidia drivers seen the point out of two new information — csgos2.exe and cs2.exe (most certainly placeholders). They have been listed as a part of a brand new recreation profile labeled “Counter-strike 2.” The invention whipped up the rumor mill once more, with prospects of a sequel recreation or, extra possible, a port of the unique recreation to Supply 2, as indicated by the csgos2.exe file title.

In fact, Valve and developer Hidden Path Leisure had nothing to say on the matter. Nonetheless, the host of The Esports Gospel podcast, Richard Lewis, claims insiders with data of the event advised him {that a} new Counter-Strike recreation is within the works and is “almost ready” for a beta launch between now and the primary a part of April. Allegedly, Valve already had a “secret group” of professional gamers flown to Seattle to check an early model just lately.

The sport has been on the event desk for fairly some time, which is why now we have not seen a lot motion with CS:GO enlargement. In line with the leakers, Valve put GO on the again burner whereas specializing in getting the newer title finished.

“The large precedence is getting this out after which sprucing it, fixing any bugs, and bringing it as much as the extent folks count on from CS,” the insiders mentioned. Do not you simply love Valve’s marketing strategy of get it out first then repair it?

The leakers confirmed that the upcoming title has an improved matchmaking system and runs on quicker 128-tick servers. Nonetheless, they didn’t say whether or not it might be a standalone sequel or a straight port to Supply 2. Both method, the sport ought to have improved optimization and graphics in comparison with CS:GO, regardless of the 2014 recreation engine solely being barely newer.

One urgent query concerning releasing a brand new Counter-Strike is what’s going to occur to the older model? With the nonetheless sturdy numbers taking part in CS:GO and the aggressive esport aspect to contemplate, shifting to a radically newer model could possibly be difficult. Lewis factors out that traditionally, Valve has taken two paths on this regard.

One is to function each variations side-by-side for a time because it did with the unique Counter-Strike and CS:GO, primarily letting the video games duke it out for gamers. The second choice could be to take the strategy of Dota 2 when devs ported it to Supply 2, letting them run concurrently earlier than lastly merging gamers into the newer model.

Now for the compulsory, “remember to take your salt.” Valve and Hidden Path are radio silent. Neither has introduced something formally, and you’ll by no means know the way dependable interviews with nameless sources are until you’re the one doing the interviewing. Nonetheless, we should wait and discover out because the beta is allegedly launching in as little as just a few weeks.




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