Since it's announcement earlier this year, the massive update to CS:GO changes the game over to Counter-Strike 2 and brings in huge technical changes to the game to improve gameplay and make everything look so much better.

The update is free for everyone that owns CS:GO... which is everyone since the game went Free to Play back in 2018. Let's breakdown the more important changes.

Important Changes in Counter-Strike 2

  • Brand new rating system called "CS Rating" is a numerical score.
  • Responsive Smokes - Dynamic volumetric objects now interact with the environment, lighting, gunfire, and explosions.
    • The new smokes are also synced to all players due to engine updates, which means everyone sees the same cloud.
    • Bullets can pierce temporary holes through smoke, allowing vision.
  • Explosions and Fire have received big updates to their visuals.
  • Tick Rate no longer matters for moving, shooting, and throwing.
    • CS 2 introduces "Sub Ticks" so servers know exactly when actions occur.
  • The hud has received changes to help communicate important states in the game. They also look better.
  • Audio has been updated to better reflect the environment.
  • Some maps have received major overhauls, rebuilding their lighting, adding more detail, and makes everything feel more modern.
    • Overpass, Inferno
  • Other maps received more basic changes which include new lightning, material updates, and reflections.
    • Nuke
  • The touchstone maps of CS:GO have only received lighting changes through engine updates so help evaluate the new game.
    • Dust II!
  • All items have received higher resolution models.
  • All previously obtained weapon skins still work and some look even better.
    • This is the proper way of going forward with a major game update. Looking at you previous Call of Duty games that sold people cosmetics each year and didn't bring them forward.
  • If you previously purchased Prime Status, your purchase still works in CS 2.

Check out the launch trailer!

CS Rating - The New Rating System

A brand new rating system has been added to Counter-Strike 2. Here's how it works:

  • Premier is a new competitive mode.
  • The mode features a pick-ban system for active duty maps.
  • Rather than a name-based rating, everyone now has a CS Rating which is a numerical value.
  • Ratings display on seasonal leaderboards! 
  • Premier matches are not required to be played, and the old skill rankings now apply on a per-map basis.

More Preview Videos

Valve has previously put out a few more videos about the updates in CS 2. These are better than any screenshots would be, so if you're interested give them a watch.

What are you waiting for? Go download the update now on Steam and get ranked!