CS2 Latest Updates
On 1st September 2023, Valve has announced more updates to the CS2 Limited Test. There are a lot of exciting changes coming to CS2 which will make it feel like more than just a large update to CSGO. Some of these changes include alterations to total rounds in a match, introduction of new ranked features and increased accessibility to CS2 for existing CSGO players.
12 Round Halves
One of the biggest changes will be the move from 16 round halves to 12 round halves. This is going to put it in line with the same length of game that Valorant has. It will reduce the over all amount of time a match takes to play and will likely eventually alter how tournament scheduling could play out. With the growing popularity of short-style matches on CSGO, this seems like an inevitability.
New Ranked Features
There are two significant updates here. Premier queue now has a global leaderboard where you can score points and compare yourself to others in game. A per-map ranking system is also going to be introduced outside of the Premier queue. This means that you will build up a rank based on the specific maps you play. For example, if you enjoy playing Dust 2 and you increase your skill there – you will get a rank (like Global Elite or Master Guardian). If you are new to Vertigo then you will have a separate rank for this map.
Valve has released a video describing this in more detail.
How do I join the CS2 Limited Test?
Instead of it being an exclusive invite system, the requirements to join CS2’s Limited Test have be reduced a lot. See below what you need to have to secure access to Counter-Strike 2.
- CS:GO Prime Status: Gain this by buying Counter-Strike: Global Offensive directly through Steam
- An active Competitive Skill Group: Make sure you have played ranked matches enough so that your profile displays what rank you are
- Played the majority of competitive matches in one of the regions where the Limited Test is available
This is going to increase the amount of players who will have access to CS2 massively. If you meet this criteria then simply login to CS:GO and click on the banner at the top. This CS2 banner will give you instructions on opting into CS2 and downloading the Limited Test.
If you want more information on how to access CS2 then take a look at the video below from Astralis!
Betting on CS2
Since the game is still testing, there will not yet be opportunities to place bets on CS2. This is likely going to change within the next couple of weeks. Valve has confirmed that Counter-Strike 2 will be released during the summer of 2023, and summer is almost over!
We are expecting to see CS:GO transition fully to CS2, this will mean the competitive circuit for Counter-Strike will immediately move across to the new version of the game. And once this happens, all the markets that esports betting sites are offering are suddenly going to rename the game to CS2. This presents a big opportunities for esports bettors who are in tune with the updates to the game and the professional scene. Traders are going to be learning a lot at this point and there will certainly be a big chance to capitalise on new knowledge.
FAQ
Betting for CS2 will not be possible till Valve officially moves the game across from CS:GO to Counter-Strike 2. Once this happens, competitive matches will be played on the new game and esports betting operators will change all their markets to be available for CS2. We expect this to be a smooth transition, but there might be some hurdles to watch out for depending on where you are betting.
This will have a significant impact. It will reduce the amount of time you have to commit to playing the game which will make it easier for casual players to remain engaged. This could strain ranked games less and make it more enjoyable. Competitively, it could change how matches and tournaments are scheduled and even give more teams a chance to break into the top level.
