Counter-Strike 2 Officially Replaces CS: GO: New Audio Settings, Private Matchmaking, and Updated System Requirements

After 11 years, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is no more. Counter-Strike 2 has completely replaced the title on Steam, including its store listing. The new Source 2 rendition of the 20+-year-old franchise comes in with a 5.7 GB update on Steam, awarding players with a new music kit, and a Global Offensive Badge for sticking around. 

Early reports suggest that Valve has added a bunch of new settings regarding audio and further tweaks. As of now, Valve hasn't released any patch notes, but they're expected to surface in the next hour. Here's what we know so far.

Also read: Marcos Gaming Announce Their Latest Additions To CS Roster

Counter-Strike 2 is Live: New Launch Trailer, Updated System Requirements, and more

One of the most notable changes from the beta is the addition of new audio options. These include three EQ presets called natural, crisp, and smooth. From initial impressions, the smooth preset seems to tune out higher frequencies more aggressively than the other two. Other audio changes include a slider for Left/Right isolation and perspective correction.

Early testing has shown that commands like net_graph and cl_bob (that controls weapon sway) are still absent. Another glaring omission is cl_righthand 0, forcing all players to use a right-hand viewmodel. On the surface, not much has changed from the beta, excluding a brand-new category for matchmaking. Called Private Matchmaking, users can now host their own games with a limited pool of people either from a Steam group or via a room code. 

Counter-Strike 2 remains free to play and the new system requirements are fairly low, allowing those with aging PCs a chance to play:

Windows

• OS: Windows® 10
   
• Processor: 4 hardware CPU threads - Intel® Core™ i5 750 or higher
   
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
   
• Graphics: Video card must be 1 GB or more and should be a DirectX 11-compatible with support for Shader Model 5.0
   
• DirectX: Version 11
   
• Storage: 85 GB available space

SteamOS+Linux

• OS: Ubuntu 20.04
   
• Processor: 4 hardware CPU threads - Intel® Core™ i5 750 or higher
   
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
   
• Graphics: AMD GCN+ or NVIDIA Kepler+ with up-to-date Vulkan drivers. Support for VK_EXT_graphics_pipeline_library is highly recommended.
   
• Storage: 85 GB available space
   
• Sound Card: Highly recommended

As of now, casual game modes like Arms Race are still missing and it's unsure if Valve will add them in the future. As an added casualty, Danger Zone is no more, excluding Counter-Strike from the Battle Royale category. Official tournaments like the ESL Pro League will continue on the old build of CS: GO while tournament organizers figure out their next steps.