Counter Strike 2 Beta: What Do Players Think?

This year, Counter Strike community received the breaking news that their favorite game will finally be ported to the new Source 2 engine. In addition, Valve also announced that selected players will be given access to the beta version of the game, which will allow them to get a taste of what’s to come in the summer of 2023. A couple of months have passed, so it’s time to ask the question – what do gamers think of the Counter Strike 2 beta?

All You Need to Know About Counter Strike 2

At the end of March 2023, Valve announced the shocking news that CS would be ported to their new Source 2 engine. Of course, many people suspected that this would eventually happen, especially since rumors about it had been circulating in the gaming community for some time now. However, people thought that Valve would opt to execute the transition in the form of a simple update. No one expected that the company might decide to release an entirely new installment of Counter Strike – Counter Strike 2.

Counter Strike 2 was announced for the summer of 2023 and is expected to be the biggest technical leap in the history of the entire series. It is unknown when exactly will the game become available to everyone. All that was confirmed ws that players who own CS:GO will receive a free upgrade that will give them access to the Source 2 version.

What Is Going to Change?

Considering the amount of time that it took for Counter Strike to finally move to Source 2, it’s fair to say that players are expecting big things. However, Valve apparently put a lot of work into making sure that the import of their most profitable project was done right, because all the materials provided by the developer show the game in a completely new look.

Of course, most of the changes concern the visual effects, since Source 2 is known for its immense graphic capabilities.

So what can we expect?

Among the various things the developers have announced are some very significant improvements, such as refreshed maps, impressive lighting changes, more interactive smoke grenades, bullet trails and an improved tick rate. However, Valve also didn’t forget about some minor details that have been quite a meme in the CS:GO community till now. For example, players will now be able to see their agents’ feet or their detailed shadows.

What About Your CS:GO Skins?

Many people who have spent the last few years trying to create their perfect CS:GO loadout have been worried that they will now have to say goodbye to all their valuable skins. Admittedly, buying cosmetic items for Counter Strike is not exactly budget-friendly. Some players have invested hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in their equipment. It would be a total disaster if they were to lose it all now, especially since, as far as we know, Global Offensive will be completely retired after Counter Strike 2 arrives.

Fortunately, Valve knows its players very well and was quick to dispel any rumors about the fate of their equipment. Immediately after the announcement, the company also assured everyone that all items will be transferred to Source 2, fully automatically and free of charge. This means that you can stop worrying about the money you invested in skins, as they are safe for now. What’s more, it might be a good idea to stock up on items even before the game’s release. There are good chances that with the transition to Source 2, a lot more players will be playing Counter Strike, which will significantly increase the price of the most popular skins.

What Is the Counter Strike 2 Beta Version

Along with the announcement of Counter Strike 2, the company also declared that selected players would be given access to a limited test version. This was to help gather feedback and make the necessary adjustments before the title’s official release. People were to be given the opportunity to play CS2 via Valve official servers. All they had to do was click the game icon, as they always do during its launch. Then selected players would see a pop-up notification saying that they had been granted access to the beta version. No one had to buy any additional products on Steam or log in to any shady websites.

How to Get Access to Beta?

As we mentioned, whether you got access to the Beta version depended entirely on Valve. There was no way to apply for joining the narrow group of lucky players.

According to an official announcement on the developer’s website, three factors were considered in the selection. These were:

• Steam account standing
• Trust factor
• Recent playtime on Valve official servers in CS:GO

This means that theoretically if you’re an honest player who doesn’t cheat and spends a lot of time in Counter Strike, you should have a pretty good chance of getting access to the limited test version. However, this system has caused a lot of controversy among the community, as many prominent YouTubers have not been offered to play the closed Beta release. Therefore, rumors have circulated that Valve’s selection is actually more random than it is officially claimed.

Of course, many loyal fans immediately came forward to help their favorite creators get access to CS2. People quickly began exchanging information and allowing gamers to use their accounts. Thus reviews about the game began to appear on the Internet.

What Players Think About the Beta Version So Far?

In just a few months, the Internet has been littered with reviews and gameplays showcasing the capabilities of Counter Strike 2. Every YouTuber wanted to add their two cents to the ongoing debate about the transfer to Source 2. Mostly the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, but there are a few concerns that gamers have expressed after playing the beta version. Let’s break it all down.

Graphics

As for the visuals, the difference is immediately noticeable. In the beta version, Valve gave players access to the Dust 2 map so that they could experience the graphical capabilities of the new engine. Most people immediately pointed out the lowered contrast and very realistic lighting, which greatly improves the look of the map. It is very apparent that Valve has taken care of all the details and filled in the gaps that were missing in Global Offensive. Nevertheless, this is an assessment based only on the appearance of one map, so we are curious to see how other locations look.

Combat

As for the combat itself, most people didn’t notice any deterioration, except for a few annoying changes in the sounds made by some weapons. However, Valve has added some fun little details, such as bullet trails, which now allow you to see where your scopeless shots are flying to. In addition, you’ll experience realistic blood splatter after taking damage, so if that’s the kind of thing you like, Counter Strike 2 certainly has it. Some have expressed disappointment with the appearance of the smoke grenades, which were heavily advertised by the developer in the official announcement. Still, their interactivity is something fun to play with, and the visual realm can always be further improved.

Skins

The biggest surprise turned out to be the issue of cosmetic items. Players who received access to the beta version quickly realized that some skins look completely different in Counter Strike 2 than in Global Offensive. Of course, we’re not just talking about the fact that most of them simply look much better, especially under the influence of the new improved lighting on the maps, but that some actually appear completely different. For example, some of them look like they have been painted a completely different color, or have had some new elements added. We’re not necessarily saying there’s anything wrong with this, but it can have a huge impact on the skin market.

Conclusions

As you can see Counter Strike 2 is a huge change that is actually coming any moment now. Fortunately, judging by the reviews of the beta version, it’s safe to say that it will definitely be a change for the positive. Of course, there are still a few aspects to improve, but let’s not forget that this is what community testing is for, so that the developer can gather the feedback necessary to make the official product better. Let’s also hope that Valve will actually take into account players’ comments and Counter Strike 2 will be the game everyone has been waiting for for years.