Train, one of Counter-Strike's oldest and bestest maps, has received a sweeping update. Valve's given the fairly nondescript trainyard a "full visual overhaul" in Counter-Strike 2, making it "60% cloudier" and changing its layout to encourage more tactical play besides just whipping out the AWP and looking down long, narrow corridors.
]]>The gaming keyboard market is currently tripping over itself, trying to equip everything with the technology most commonly known as Snap Tap: a feature that promises hyperfast inputs of two alternating keypresses, making you an unkillable side-strafing blur in your FPS of choice. Introduced on Razer’s Huntsman V3 Pro series and quickly followed by Wooting’s (functionally distinct but effectively identical) Rappy Snappy, Snap Tap is now wearing multiple names as it takes over the world of RGB peripherals, from SteelSeries’ Rapid Tap to Corsair’s FlashTap and Keychron’s... Last Keystroke Prioritisation. Which doesn’t sound as sexy, but still.
However, Snap Tap is also drawing a level of ire that exceeds the usual baseline scepticism of hardware marketing. Because it enables a form of input automation – where you can quickly move in two directions by rapidly tapping one key, while holding down another – it’s considered by some as tantamount to cheating, allowing players to cross the line that divides unfair play from the accepted comforts that come with simply using a responsive Hall Effect keyboard or high-refresh-rate monitor. It’s even become a bannable offence in certain games, most notably in Counter-Strike 2.
Neither side is backing down; in an astonishingly worded tweet, Wooting went as far as to concede Snap Tap "should be considered cheating. But if it’s allowed, you need it." But do you?
]]>I've not played Counter- Strike 2 in yonks, but I know a big update when I see one. That's right: Valve have added some new crates just outside of counter-terrorist spawn, near bombsite A. This means that players can now use these boxes to hop from CT up to catwalk with little fuss, where previously you'd need to use your teammates' heads as a springboard. What does this mean as a layperson who sort of plays the game sometimes? More than you might think!
]]>Everybody knows that Counter-Strike's asymmetric levels are its best. If only someone had told its millions of players. Counter-Strike creator Minh Le seems to agree with me at least, naming cs_siege as one of his favourites in a recent interview.
]]>Left-handed Counter-Strike 2 players, time to raise that left hand in what could be interpreted as a celebration. In the game's latest update, Valve have added the ability to swap from the default right-handed viewmodel to a left-handed one. There's also an update to the buy menu, making it easier to track your bank account and grab weapons your mates have dropped. Alongside further UI improvements for grenade line-ups, and a tweak to the Active Duty map pool.
]]>The latest Counter-Strike 2 update re-introduces Arms Race, a beloved multiplayer mode from Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in which players level up and are handed new guns as they moider each other, with victory going to the player who levels all the way up and performs a final knifekill.
I've played many variations of this mode - which was originally a mod, Gun Game - over the years in other games, and it's always a laugh, for the simple reason that it can be tuned to allow less proficient FPS players to catch up with their brethren, by introducing less powerful or harder-to-master weapons at certain levels as "speed bumps".
]]>Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it a FLASHBANG COMING RIGHT AT YOUR FACE - QUICK, LOOK AWAY oh wait it's just a bird after all. That's not just me hallucinating after one too many cups of Joe - it's a description of recent events in Valve's bomb-fiddling FPS Counter-Strike 2, where players keep mistaking the avian decorations on certain maps for bouncing balls of death.
]]>Fans of Counter-Strike: GO’s Gun Game successor Arms Race rejoice: you will be able to play the popular mode in Counter-Strike 2. Eventually, that is. Valve have promised that more modes, weapons and features are headed to Global Offensive’s full-bore sequel, but they might take a little while to arrive as they respond to what players are asking for.
]]>Counter-Strike 2 players have discovered a novel method of peek-shooting, the Michael Jackson Peek, which makes them look like the King of Pop, doing one of his slip-slidey dance moves. You might say there's been an outbreak of Smooth Crime, hee heeee! Sorry, I wish I were cool enough to explain this properly. It's probably best you just watch the footage below.
]]>Are you a Mac player who's been hungrily looking forward to the eventual Mac port of Counter-Strike 2, released last month, after sinking many hours and much pocket money into the preceding Counter-Strike: Global Offensive? Fantastic news, it's been binned off! In the course of making what they're calling "the largest technical leap in CS history", Valve have decided to discontinue support for MacOS. They're also doing away with support for older PCs, including DirectX 9 and 32-bit operating systems - in future, the game will be exclusive to 64-bit Windows and Linux systems.
]]>Wondering what Premier is in Counter-Strike 2? Counter-Strike 2 is finally here, and it brings a few notable changes to everybody’s beloved Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Some of these biggest changes affect CS2’s Premier mode, which doesn’t completely flip the Counter-Strike we know on its head, but it does have a few differences from Competitive (and its CS:GO counterpart) that we’ve outlined below.
Here’s everything you’ll need to know about Premier mode in Counter-Strike 2, including what it is, how it compares to Competitive, and how its new ranking system works.
]]>Wondering how ranks in Counter-Strike 2 work? Counter-Strike 2 brings quite a few changes to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’s ranking system, with different methods of rankings being used between modes. Luckily, we’ve got your back with this quick explanation of rankings in both main modes of CS2.
Here’s everything you’ll need to know about ranks in Counter-Strike 2, including how they work in both Premier and Competitive and how they've changed from CS:GO.
]]>Looking for a list of Counter-Strike 2 console commands? Console commands in games are typically associated with cheats, and cheats in competitive games like Counter-Strike 2 are typically frowned upon. But there are lots of different uses for the various console commands available in CS2, and some of them are actively encouraged if you want to maximise your FPS and performance in Valve's new flagship FPS.
In this comprehensive guide to Counter-Strike 2 console commands, we'll explain how to open the console, how to rebind your console key, and how to create your own autoexec file to automate console commands every time you launch the game. We'll also go over our list of the various CS2 console commands you can use to control the game, and we've even highlighted a dozen or so of the very best Counter-Strike 2 console commands to use if you want to boost FPS and minimise lag!
]]>Want to go back to playing CS:GO now that Counter-Strike 2 is released? You may have heard that Counter-Strike 2 was released as a total replacement of Valve's venerable Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. And it's true - for the most part. But if you're hankering for the good old days of CS:GO once more, there is a way to keep playing Global Offensive.
In this quick guide we'll explain exactly how to play CS:GO after Counter-Strike 2's release - as well as the limitations involved in doing so.
]]>After 11 years, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has been, somewhat unceremoniously, shut down in favour of the newer, shinier Counter-Strike: 2. Whether you like it or not, Valve wants you playing CS2. For those who don't take their CS all too seriously, CS2 won't seem like much of a change from CS:GO, besides some grenade changes, more detailed maps, and a disappointing lack of fan favourite game modes. And for those who train their aim on the reg and line up their smoke grenades, CS2 might look the part but lacks the precision of CS:GO's movement and gunplay.
Still, CS2 captures what makes Counter-Strike tick and even if the foundation seems a little sparse and a touch shaky right now, I'm confident Valve have an FPS that'll supersede CS:GO in time.
]]>Valve have released a small Counter-Strike 2 update that, amongst other things, stops mud slowing you down and stops incendiary grenades forming fiery rings in mid-air, like excitable kids with sparklers. There are also fixes for a shader compilation bug that may, nonetheless, still exist for AMD GPUs when playing this latest iteration of the developer's free-to-play team and objective-based shooter. Many of the larger issues returning players have, such as the absence of Mac support, are yet to be addressed.
]]>Want to know how to create your own CS2 jump throw bind? Jump throws have always been an important part of Counter-Strike, and the same is of course true in Counter-Strike 2. A jump throw is when you throw a grenade while you are jumping, allowing the grenade to go further.
Good Counter-Strike 2 players know all the best smoke lineups to help smoke particular areas of each map at the start of a round, and many of these smoke lineups require jump throws to be successful. In CS2, jump throws are available by default without needing any custom binds - but if you want to do a perfect jump throw every single time, then follow this guide on how to make a Counter-Strike 2 jump throw bind with ease!
]]>Looking for the very best CS2 crosshair codes? Crosshair codes have always been a fundamental part of the Counter-Strike playerbase, allowing players to easily customise their own personal crosshair to match that of their friend, neighbour, or even their favourite pro player. With Counter-Strike 2 newly released and free to play, there's never been a better time to make sure your crosshair is as good as it can possibly be.
In this guide we'll walk you through a whopping 45 of the best Counter-Strike 2 crosshair codes used by some of the best pro players in the world. We'll also show you how to import and copy your own crosshair codes so that you can switch around your crosshair in seconds, and share your perfected crosshair with the world.
]]>At the time of writing, Counter-Strike 2 has 7.5 million reviews on Steam, 88% of which are positive. That's pretty good going for a game that released less than 24 hours ago.
Except, of course, that the vast majority of those reviews are for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, a game that is no longer playable. If you filter the reviews to just yesterday and today, you'll find that there have been 3450 of them, just 59% of which are positive, which would give Counter-Strike 2 a rating of "Mixed".
]]>Counter-Strike 2 released last night and has duly taken over from Counter-Strike: Global Offensive as Steam’s most-played game at the time of writing, but individual player reactions are a bit mixed. Valve’s new/revamped free-to-play FPS sports a range of exotic features and fixtures, from swirlier, reactive smoke to new server architecture, but it has launched without many of the modes, maps and functions Global Offensive diehards are accustomed to, after a decade of updates.
]]>What are the very best Counter-Strike 2 settings? Fine-tuning your settings is a lengthy process in any competitive game, and with Counter-Strike 2 now released and free-to-play, tens of thousands of players are now busy trawling through the game's settings menus trying to make sense of every last option in the game.
We're here to make the job easy with our ultimate guide to the best CS2 settings. We've brought all our previous Counter-Strike knowledge to bear, and updated everything ready for Counter-Strike 2 so you know exactly what to pick for every last setting. Below you'll find a table of CS2 settings used by the top pro players in the world, as well as explainers on mouse settings, video settings, game settings, resolution and aspect ratio combos, and much more besides.
We've even got some more advanced tips on how to boost your FPS in CS2 both in and out of game, as well as handy instructions on things like improving your radar visibility, setting up your audio correctly, and more. So let's get started!
]]>Look alive, jarheads! Grab your Glocks and drop your - well, whatever you're holding that isn't a gun, unless it's a kitten or something, in which case tuck it gently under your arm and brace yourself for the news that Valve have finally released the public version of Counter-Strike 2, the long-awaited free-to-play technical upgrade (and replacement) for perennial Steam chart-topper Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, after six months in limited access. You can download it here.
]]>It looks like Counter-Strike 2 might soon be upon us. That’s if you’re reading somewhat generously into what could be a sly tease from Valve at a Counter-Strike 2 release date next week.
]]>Counter-Strike 2 is in closed beta while Valve test its new features, revised maps and upgraded engine. That limited test has just been updated to swap out two maps, Nuke and Office, with two others, Vertigo and a hugely overhauled Overpass, as well as to add the two-on-two Wingman mode.
]]>If you ever played Counter-Strike even once, you will surely have committed the classic blunder of misclicking in the shop and buying the wrong gun. No shame in it. All you can do is laugh and try your best while armed with, ah, a pair of dual pistols? No more! The latest big update to Counter-Strike 2's invitation-only test has added the option to refund new purchases. A whole new buy menu, even, far nicer than CS:GO's rubbish wheel. Also a new map and a load of other stuff that mostly matters to jammy gits who have access.
]]>Want to get into the Counter Strike 2 beta? Counter-Strike 2 is live in beta, but it's unfortunately closed to the majority of the public. The surprise CS:GO replacement will bring plenty of changes, with new smoke grenade tech, revamped maps, and a sub-tick system that, according to Valve, means "tick rate no longer matters for moving, shooting, or throwing". If you're eager to gain access to see all of those improvements with your own eyes, then you're in the right spot.
In this guide, we'll break down how to get into the Counter Strike 2 beta. Valve will steadily roll out more invites over the coming months, according to the CS2 FAQ, so we'll also cover how to check if you have access.
]]>After weeks of teases and rumours, Counter-Strike 2 invaded the internet to confirm that, yes, it was a real thing and not a figment of the community's shared imagination. It’s fully launching this summer, and Valve have been holding a limited access test since the pseudo-sequel's announcement. They’ve been inviting select players based on factors that are important to the dev team, such as trust factor, Steam account standing, and recent playtime on Valve servers. But last night, Valve shook their finger like a stern parent, informing fans that playing more Counter-Strike: Global Offensive wouldn’t get them into the CS2 test any faster.
]]>What's the latest news about Counter-Strike 2? FPS fans rejoice: Counter-Strike 2 is official, and it's releasing in the next couple of months. CS2 is the long-awaited sequel to legendary squad shooter Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, complete with map overhauls, a reworked approach to tick rate, fancy new smoke grenade tech, and lots more to look forward to.
CS:GO is one of the most beloved shooters of all time, and has never been more popular, hitting a record concurrent player count of 1.8 million in May this year. But there's no denying that CS:GO has been showing its age for a long time now. Counter-Strike 2 will shift onto the Source 2 engine, allowing Valve to make use of the newer engine's lighting and particle systems to give a much-needed facelift to one of the most iconic FPS games on PC.
Read on for everything we know about Counter-Strike 2, including the upcoming release date window, the limited-test beta, gameplay details about the new smoke grenade tech, info on the tick rate changes, map revamps, and much more.
]]>As the prophecy foretold (and by prophecy I mean weeks of teases and a bucket of rumours) Counter-Strike 2 is real, coming this summer, and a limited test is available right now for select Counter-Strike: Global Offensive players. The sort-of-sequel is being built on Valve’s Source 2 engine and will launch as a free upgrade to CS:GO, carrying over all of your unlocks and purchased items.
]]>A thread on the Steam forums seems to confirm that rumours about a new Counter-Strike game - Counter-Strike: Global Offensive - are true, with commenter "Cliffe" (who is Valve designer chap Jess Cliffe) saying "Global Offensive". There have been a bunch of other references to it, on Twitter and so forth.
]]>Aw, bless. I share the below video not because it gives much away in terms of when and if we'll see Counter-Strike 2 (though it's certainly not a denial, which is some kind of good news at least), but because of the charming awkwardness of Gabe Newell's reaction when asked directly in front of THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE whether Valve's evergreen man-shooter will be sequelised any time soon...
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