As we approach the twilight of the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, with the impending release of its successor, Counter-Strike 2, the developers at Valve have been more active than ever in adding updates to the CS2 Limited Test Beta. There have been rotations in the map pool, and game features are being put to the test as we approach the release of what is being called – “The CS:GO killer”.
CS 2 Updates – So far so good!
After the first few updates to the game, which included maps like Dust II (de_dust2) and Mirage (de_mirage), on July 18, we got our first look at a completely re-done map in the form of Overpass (de_overpass). Going forward, Valve has rotated maps in and out of game modes. So far, we have received Vertigo (de_vertigo), Anubis (de_anubis), and Ancient (de_ancient) being rotated in between game modes.
The latest update to the CS2 Limited Test Beta came with our first look at a hostage rescue map, an all-time favourite of the players, Italy (cs_italy). Italy replaced Anubis and Ancient in the map pool. This map is also a part of the ‘overhauled’ map pool and has received a lot of love from the community after its release. As a part of the August 15 update, Competitive and Private Matchmaking has been disabled in the Limited Test Beta. Other improvements include sticker sizes on the M4A4, audio mixing, multiple team introduction variants, and updated hostage models.
— CS2 (@CounterStrike) August 15, 2023
de_cbble coming soon?
With every release of an update, there are some files that data miners also hunt down to get some “hidden” information about potential updates to the game in the coming days. So far, there have been leaked screenshots of the much-awaited map, Inferno (de_inferno), and more such items. In the most recent update, we got leaks about a potential remake of another fan-favourite map, Cobblestone (de_cbble). An acclaimed leaker in the CS community, Gabe Follower, put out a Tweet from his latest data scraping exercise after the update. Here’s a look at what he posted –
So we might actually get snow themed Cobblestone remake @CounterStrike. There are two new blend materials for trims and windows. https://t.co/scqptsGlXl pic.twitter.com/uXZWVEnxSm
— Gabe Follower (@gabefollower) August 16, 2023
Before Gabe Follower, another CS data miner, Aquarius, had also put out a Tweet pointing out the presence of game files hinting towards a remake of de_cbble. Not only this, the August 15 update has also brought to the surface a change to the maximum number of rounds that would be potentially played in future games of competitive Counter-Strike. If Aquarius’s findings are anything to go by, then as pointed out by them in their Tweet, matches in the Competitive game mode of Counter-Strike will be won by the team that is the first to reach 13 rounds, Short matches in the Competitive game mode could be on their way out, and several tweaks to Premier matchmaking, including overtime.
Subtle, but significant Matchmaking changes in the latest Counter-Strike 2 update:
– From now on Competitive is first to 13 rounds (including Premier)
– Seems like the devs are getting rid of Short Competitive
– Premier matches will have 20s freezetimes, 1 overtime (the game… pic.twitter.com/8iP6jb4tHO— Aquarius (@aquaismissing) August 16, 2023
What lies ahead for CS2?
Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test Beta was announced on Mar 22, 2023. After a period of slow updates to the game, which brought along a sense of pessimism in the community, the developers have been way more active in pushing out updates to the game, with the gap between the two updates being around a week. And, with more and more game modes, models, maps, and other crucial gameplay elements seemingly taking their final form, the release looks to be on track. At the time of the announcement, Valve had committed to a deadline of Summer 2023. As of now, it seems that we will be getting the game's final version within the announced time frame. Or who knows, the infamous Vave Time comes into play, and the game might get delayed slightly… Here’s to hoping for the best!
If you have access to the Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test Beta, please feel free to reach out to editor@skoar.in, and we would love to know how has your experience been like so far!
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Satvik Pandey
Satvik Pandey, is a self-professed Steve Jobs (not Apple) fanboy, a science & tech writer, and a sports addict. At Digit, he works as a Deputy Features Editor, and manages the daily functioning of the magazine. He also reviews audio-products (speakers, headphones, soundbars, etc.), smartwatches, projectors, and everything else that he can get his hands on. A media and communications graduate, Satvik is also an avid shutterbug, and when he's not working or gaming, he can be found fiddling with any camera he can get his hands on and helping produce videos – which means he spends an awful amount of time in our studio. His game of choice is Counter-Strike, and he's still attempting to turn pro. He can talk your ear off about the game, and we'd strongly advise you to steer clear of the topic unless you too are a CS junkie. View Full Profile
