Counter-Strike 2is realand it’s coming faster than we thought. Aftera month of leaksandtrademarks, Valve dropped three videos showcasing the new features coming in the sequel toCounter-Strike: Global Offensive. One of them was a really cool smoke grenade that’s persistent across everyone’s game so the cloud you see is the same as the cloud everyone else sees. And on the CS2 website, a new molotov grenade was revealed using the same liquid shader as found inHalf-Life: Alyx.
This new molotov seems largely inspired by a CS:GO fan project from three years ago. As noted byGamesRadar+, the Molotov Rework V2 from Zool gave CS:GO’s firebomb better glass-shattering sound effects, better Zippo sound and particle effects, and the rag way more fire than in the base game. It looks a lot like what we see in the gif on the CS2 website, but for one thing suggested by a fan: “the Half-Life: Alyx liquid shader just to have the sexiest molotov.”
Related:Apex Legends' Second-Worst Legend Is Surprising The ALGS
Three years later, that fan got their wish. Half-Life: Alyx visual effects developer Matthew Wildeshared a clip of the new CS2 molotovwith Half-Life: Alyx’s liquid bottle shader. Now the molotov really looks like it’s full of gas sloshing hither and yawn depending on how the player moves. “That’s for you"wrote Wildeto the duly impressed fan.
There’s a lot more than just liquid-filled bottles coming in Counter-Strike 2. Blood spatter is now directional, with patches of red on walls revealing at what angle either you or a teammate were shot. Better fires and explosions are all thanks to Source 2’s improved lighting, and a total UI overhaul will bring CS2 into the modern age.
It all looks incredible, which explains why some Counter-Strike fans are going to extreme lengths to get invited into the limited technical test that’s going on right now. The test is invitation only, but one of the metrics is playtime. So some peopleare just sitting idle in CS:GO deathmatches hoping to rack up enough playtime to warrant an invite.
