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Does CS2 use the Source engine?

Updated: Sep 29, 2023 8:31 pm
Does CS2 use the Source engine?

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Do you want to know if CS2 uses the Source engine? The Source engine has been the game engine behind tons of Valve’s classics, including previous entries in the Counter-Strike franchise.

While many features and gameplay made the jump from CS:GO to CS2, you may be left to wonder if it was all built in the Source engine. Source has been used for countless Valve games, including Half-Life and Left 4 Dead. However, the engine is a bit older, and fans are wondering if CS2 uses something else. Does CS2 use the Source engine as well? We’re here to let you know.

Is Source used for CS2?

No, Source was not the engine used for CS2. The latest addition to the CS series actually uses Source 2, the successor to Source.

Because Global Offensive used Source, it’s easy to see why many gamers believed that CS2 used the same one. This is especially true because CS2 was a major rehaul of the game, and even replaced it in the store.

However, all things have been upgraded in the CS2 servers, and that includes the new game engine used to build it. Source 2 is the latest engine from Valve, and tons of games already use it, including industry giants like Dota 2. The engine was not out until 2015, after the release of CS:GO, so that’s why the previous CS game didn’t use it.

With the launch of CS2, there are tons of upgrades to enjoy in this complete overhaul. Graphics have been updated, including dynamic smoke grenades. It introduces tick rate-independent gameplay. Each piece of content added to the game, from map overhauls to game modes, has been added with care. However, make sure you have the right hardware and system requirements to fully enjoy it all.

You can enjoy all of the new gameplay changes, achievements, and updates in CS2, which uses the new Source 2 engine.


Annie is a journalist interested in video games and tech news.

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