Nearly A Year Later, Counter-Strike 2 Has Stood The Test Of Time

Those invested in last year’s Counter-Strike transition would remember how anxious those times were. On one side, I was deeply concerned about losing everything that made me love CS: GO for promises of a better future. On the other side, my heart couldn’t help but want this new modernized feel to the franchise I’ve grown into over the decade. Now, after nearly a year, I think it’s about time we talk about how the end results turned out.

It’s no surprise that Valve made a polemical choice to release Counter-Strike 2 in a half-baked state. While there was a lot to praise, there were also a bunch of legitimate reasons that players had to complain about. As a result, it sullied the hyped launch that many expected to celebrate; it turned into a state of concern for the community instead.

While it has been a shaky ride, I’d say Valve has proven that Counter-Strike 2 has dragged its weight so far. Let’s look at some of the concerns that players had, which the devs were able to resolve since the update came out.

Many Thought CS2 Would Fail, And Not Without Good Reason

The way Valve handled CS2’s launch was highly questionable. I mean, there was so much hype built around your teased sequel, why would you mess it up by launching it with missing features and full of bugs? Would it not have been better for the studio to release it once it was actually ready? This question was on everyone’s mind, which made the future of Counter-Strike 2 look uncertain. I still had some faith in the devs, however.

After all the backlash, the sequel’s state deteriorated to the point that it had mixed reviews on Steam even before launch. Those concerns were valid since the entry’s release was not any better than we expected. There were a plethora of missing maps, accessibility options, visual and gameplay bugs, and much more. 

Counter-Strike 2 officially has mixed reviews on steam. An unexpected outcome before launch.
byu/Cokacondaa incounterstrike

Eventually, however, those worries started to subside. It took Valve a long time to get things under control, and the Counter-Strike 2 community never truly lost hope in the game. As a result, the sequel was able to jump back and slowly become a smooth FPS experience, like the devs intended.

Counter-Strike 2 Skin Market Has Stabilized After A Downturn

Valve’s decision to transfer skins over to the new version was a great one. Prior to CS2’s release, the skin market was experiencing a rise in anticipation of the huge update. The best CS2 skins in the business were kept a strict eye on from a trading perspective, but things only escalated from that point forward.

Will CS Skins market slow down eventually?
byu/SearchingTeammates incs2

The skin market collapsed after Counter-Strike 2 rolled around. All the popular items lost 5-10% of their value on average due to a lack of game modes and competitive maps. The downtime lasted for quite a few months. 

The major returning events and improvements in the game finally compelled players to update their inventories, breathing new life into the market. After skins stabilized early this year, players have again started hoarding the CS2 skins to sell for profits.

Valve Kept Up Its A-Game And Brought Many Patches And Features

There have been numerous patches ever since the FPS came out. I have covered so many of them as news pieces that I’ve lost count by now. One thing to notice is that these updates have mainly focused on fixing player-reported bugs and glitches—no matter how small they were—and making adjustments that made Counter-Strike 2 play much smoother.

For instance, Valve has recently added five new community maps designed by the community for the first time in Counter-Strike 2. One of the other major additions I can recall is the custom sticker placement on guns to enhance skins. That led many players to come up with quirky and questionable designs for their favorite weapons.

The regular patches will likely continue to ensure the game’s stability and overall experience.

The Future Of Counter-Strike 2 Looks Bright

While Counter-Strike 2 has had a shaky beginning, I think it’s fair to claim that the FPS has bounced back. It’s coming days look bright since a slew of players are returning to check out the game after seeing massive improvements.

On the less bright side, the concerns regarding the future of the game are still there. The rampant cheating has made it difficult for new players to break into the community. I also stopped playing the game as much because of more cheaters. It still remains to be seen what Valve does about it.

All in all, the future of CS2—while headed in the right direction—still entirely rests on Valve’s shoulders. Let’s hope the prominent studio only improves the list of criticism from here on out.