March has brought the moment every Counter-Strike: Global Offensive fan has been waiting for. Valve has finally announced the release of Counter-Strike 2 in summer 2023: a complete overhaul, game rebuild, free-to-play, and everything that carried over from Season 1 to Season 2.
Since the announcement Counter-Strike 2 has been in limited testing, Valve has changed a small number of maps and features by refining the game in preparation for the official release. Yesterday the developer added two new maps, one of which was completely redone from the existing CS:GO map and the 2v2 Wingman game mode. Wingman is a welcome addition having first appeared in CS:GO in 2017 and offers a more immersive experience and makes teamwork much easier.
The new maps are Overpass (added to all modes) and Vertigo (currently only available in Deathmatch and Casual modes). The arrival of two new maps makes players say goodbye to Nuke and Office. Readers can find detailed information on Counter-Strike 2 here.
Valve has yet to announce a release date for Counter-Strike 2, though the developer has confirmed that the recent Paris Major tournament is the last official CS:GO event. Counter-Strike 2 limited testing has produced a lot of cool stuff, from major mechanical changes like physical smoke to seemingly silly things like the ability to test grenades.
