In an announcement that shocked much of the gaming community, Valve confirmed this week thatCounter-Strike 2is real and releasing very soon.Rumors surroundingCounter-Strike 2’s developmentcirculated earlier this month, leading fans to theorize if an official reveal could happen. To the surprise of the entire gaming community, Valve not only unveiled the title this week but has also revealed that the game is arriving very soon, with a release planned for Summer 2023. This projected release date could be a major game-changer for the title, as its situation on the gaming calendar and its free-to-play nature provide a near-perfect combination for success.
Counter-Strike 2will release over a decade after the series' last entry,Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Despite its age,Global Offensiveremains one of the most popular multiplayer shooters on the planet, in both friendly play and as a professional eSport. The ease with which anyone can pick up and play the games has led to theCounter-Strikeseries appealing to both amateur players and veterans alike. Therefore, the recent announcement ofCounter-Strike 2has made major ripples across the entire gaming community. In addition, its Summer 2023 release seems uniquely situated to benefit fromCounter-Strike’s accessibility.
RELATED:Counter-Strike 2: How To Get Into Limited Test
Counter-Strike 2’s Release is Placed Perfectly on The Gaming Calendar
Valve is planning to releaseCounter-Strike 2at a time onthe Video Game Release Date Calendarwhen it will face no true competition. In fact, the only other shooter currently slated for a Summer release is Capcom’sExoprimal, a multiplayer third-person action-shooter featuring dinosaurs.Counter-Strike 2can therefore enjoy the majority of shooter fans' attention until at least the 2023 Holiday season when its major competitors routinely release. However, there will be noCall of Dutyentry this year, meaning that an established and flourishingCounter-Strike 2may draw the attention of an entirely different community of fans left wanting by Activision’s absence this Winter.
A Summer 2023 release also has major implications forCounter-Strike 2’s player count at launch. It’s no secret that player count tends to surge during the summer months, as students are free to spend their time on activities of their choosing, rather than coursework. GivenCounter-Strike 2’s free-to-play model, this means that any students interested inCounter-Strike, or shooters in general, can sink as much time as they’d like into the title with no risk whatsoever. In addition toCounter-Strike: Global Offensive’s current player base, one which recently recorded its highest concurrent player count of all time, this influx of students has the potential to makeCounter-Strike 2’s launch incredibly strong.
Counter-Strike 2’s Release Will Be A Game-Changer
The announcement ofCounter-Strike 2’s release is already changing the competitive-shooter landscape. Players are flooding back toCounter-Strike: Global Offensive in anticipation of its follow-up’s release. Valve has already revealed a list ofmajor improvements inCounter-Strike 2, with more on the way, resulting in a title that will likely surpass its predecessor’s popularity and gameplay loop. If so,Counter-Strike 2could utilize its unique release date to become a near-untouchable force, by the time another shooter tries to break into the market. By remaining free-to-play, jumping intoCounter-Strike 2is essentially a no-brainer for fans of the FPS genre.
Counter-Strike 2has yet to receive an official release date, but players planning to jump in at launch would benefit from a return toGlobal Offensiveuntil then. Valve has announced thatskins fromCounter Offensivewill carry over toCounter-Strike 2.However, those who got caught cheating inCounter-Strike: Global Offensivewill not get a second chance inCounter-Strike 2, as bans and VAC carry over for all accounts. A limited test forCounter-Strike 2is currently available, though the beta is invitation-only. Players lucky enough to participate can find their invitation by logging intoCS:GO.
Counter-Strike 2will be released in the summer of 2023 for PC.
MORE:Counter-Strike 2 Dev Cautions Fans to Watch Out for Scams Involving Beta Test
