Valve has announced the upcoming release of Counter-Strike 2, the highly anticipated sequel to the eternally popular competitive first-person shooter. Counter-Strike 2 will be released in the summer of 2023 and will be available as a free upgrade for existing CS:GO players.

Valve has released a trailer for Counter-Strike 2, which provides a glimpse of the game's maps, features, and the rebranded CS:GO Source 2 engine. The trailer also reveals that all CS:GO maps have been overhauled with Source 2, which includes new visuals and updated physics technology.

Valve has categorized the maps into three types: 'Overhaul' maps, which have been entirely rebuilt in Source 2, 'Upgrade' maps, which retain their geography from CSGO but have been updated using Source 2's lighting and physics technology; and 'Touchstone' maps, which highlight some of the visual differences between CS:GO and CS2.

In addition to map changes, Valve has made significant improvements to the game's physics, audio, and user interface. Smoke physics has been rebuilt, and the lighting and dynamic effects have been improved. Blood and hit effects have also been reworked to be more readable over distances, giving players a sense of where the threat may be coming from.

Valve has also overhauled the audio and physics items, and the entire Counter-Strike UI has been redesigned. In addition, movement and shooting will no longer be affected by server tick rate, providing a smoother experience.

Valve has announced a limited test period for Counter-Strike 2, which will be available to select CSGO players. Players will be chosen based on several factors, including recent playtime on Valve official servers, trust factor, and Steam account standing. In addition, the valve will evaluate a subset of features during this testing period to ensure any issues are resolved before the worldwide release.

Valve has confirmed that all Source 2 tools and rendering features will be available to community map makers in Counter-Strike 2. In addition, players can bring their entire CSGO inventory to Counter-Strike 2, and all items will benefit from Source 2 lighting and materials.

With Counter-Strike 2 set to be the most significant technical leap forward in Counter-Strike's history, Valve is promising new features and updates for years to come. So it's time to get those CSGO crosshairs in order and start grinding those CSGO ranks in preparation for the Counter-Strike 2 launch.