Counter-Strike 2, or CS2 for short, is a tactical first-person shooter developed by Valve. It is the 5th game in the Counter-Strike series. Using the Source 2 game engine, the game was released on September 27, 2023 as a free upgrade for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive on Windows and Linux platforms via Steam.[1] It is the newest game in the Counter-Strike series in 10 years.[2]

Counter-Strike 2 is an update to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive that was developed to update and improve the outdated mechanics and physics of Global Offensive, especially the outdated graphics, Server Tickrate, Anti-Cheat system, and outdated mechanics and physics that players constantly complain about.[3]