In 2023’s most shocking information to date, Counter-Strike 2 is coming. The aggressive shooter isn’t only a follow-up to the massively widespread Counter-Strike: World Offensive, however an improve to that sport utilizing the brand new Supply 2 engine. A beta is already underway, with the total sport scheduled to return someday this summer time. With how Valve is dealing with the challenge, I can’t assist however consider how Blizzard rolled out its personal current shooter sequel: Overwatch 2.
Each video games are extremely widespread, aggressive, and live-service model video games with a heavy emphasis on cosmetics for monetization which have extremely devoted communities. The most important similarity — and in addition criticism within the case of Overwatch 2 — is the truth that each sequels retroactively exchange their predecessors, forcing everybody to improve to the sequel whether or not they wish to or not. This can be a comparatively new idea in gaming, the place older variations of on-line video games grow to be solely inaccessible and Overwatch 2 didn’t encourage numerous confidence in it being a useful development. That stated, Counter-Strike 2 is already in an ideal place to achieve all of the methods Overwatch 2 failed.
If it ain’t broke
In regular circumstances, a sequel is a developer’s alternative to iterate and make alterations to the core of the sport that got here earlier than. Clearly, there’s a restrict to how massive these adjustments ought to be — a shooter shouldn’t abruptly grow to be a 2D combating sport — however a mixture of latest options being added and previous ones being eliminated is predicted. That turns into a a lot trickier proposition on this new age of sequels the place the brand new model is the one choice. Within the case of Overwatch 2 and Counter-Strike 2, gamers don’t have the posh of having the ability to maintain enjoying the previous model they liked.
Overwatch 2′s greatest change was shrinking workforce sizes to 5. No matter whether or not or not you felt that change was constructive or damaging, it had a serious affect on each side of the sport, together with workforce composition, hero stability, technique, and the way maps functioned. It was a elementary change that immediately segmented the group.
Counter-Strike 2, from what is thought, isn’t falling into that lure. Group sizes aren’t being altered, and the sharply tuned stability of the sport isn’t being messed with in any main methods we all know of. The adjustments which have been introduced embody bettering the sport’s efficiency, graphical model, and a revamped smoke system. Whereas artwork model and graphics are subjective, what folks play Counter-Strike video games for — the quick, tactical FPS motion — shall be preserved.
The monetization sport
One other leg-up Counter Strike 2 has over Overwatch 2 is that it already went by means of any of the rising pains of transitioning from a paid title to a free-to-play sport. Regardless of Overwatch already coming beneath fireplace for its loot-box techniques, it by no means removed them till the sequel. What changed them, although, was arguably worse. Chasing the traits of Battle Royale video games, Overwatch 2 went with a battle go system that isn’t so pleasant to non-paying gamers. New heroes will be obtained without cost in battle passes solely after a prolonged grind. To skip it, gamers must pay up, placing stress on those that wish to sustain with the shooter’s evolving meta.
Whereas it’s not precisely a “pay-to-win” transfer, this alteration is about as shut as we’ve seen in a current, big-budget sport. Overwatch 2 lives and breathes based mostly on the interactions between its heroes, and although non-paying gamers nonetheless can grind their approach to new heroes, it gained’t matter in these first days when folks prepared to pay merely unlock them straight away.
Counter-Strike 2‘s monetization system solely revolves round skins, with no reward techniques of any variety tied to development. It could actually do that primarily due to the muse of the sport which lacks particular person “characters” or expertise, and as a substitute locations all gamers on equal footing in every sport. Each weapon is out there to each participant without cost (not counting the in-game value to purchase it, in fact), leaving little to no motive for any sort of battle go. Very similar to the gameplay, all Counter Strike 2 actually has to do will not be mess up the system they’ve in place and there’s no indication it’s in any hazard of that presently.
Enjoying the lengthy sport
A lot of Overwatch 2‘s present woes come right down to messaging struggles and a slower-than-expected rollout of content material. Overwatch 2 was hyped as much as be the following chapter within the Overwatch universe, with tons of latest content material, heroes, maps, and even a PvE mode. Up to now, solely 4 new characters had been added (three at launch and one within the seasons since), no new maps, and nonetheless no PvE mode.
That’s a stark distinction to how Valve dealt with its personal sequel. The developer has saved this challenge a secret as shut as doable till launch, solely letting particulars out when it started operating a beta. Even then, expectations have been made very clear: Counter-Strike 2 is identical Counter-Strike and love, however will run and look higher.
As long as that is still true, Counter-Strike 2 ought to be capable to proceed its championship reign within the aggressive shooter style.
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