According to the SteamDB database, the CS:GO files were updated with several data packs on March 6. One of them has the AppID number 2279721, which may correspond to the Source 2 Workshop Tools for CS:GO.
The details of an app with this number are currently hidden from view, but dataminers are relying on a comparison with similar ids in the details of Dota 2, which has been running on a newer version of the engine for several years. A comparison of the file names and the keywords found in them suggests that similar tools have now been added to CS:GO.
What to expect from the new version?
Many people expected the transition to the new engine to happen by the tenth anniversary of the game, but it did not happen. Nevertheless, players expect this to happen soon, as the update should bring several improvements at once.
One of them may be an update to the matchmaking system. In the opinion of many, it needs to become more transparent. While at FACEIT players can see detailed data on matches played, which becomes the basis for calculating their ranking, the official matchmaking system remains largely closed.
Judging by the experience with the Dota 2 update, there will be no significant changes to FPS . On the one hand, Source 2 is better optimized and adapted to run on modern hardware than the first version, which is more than fifteen years old. On the other hand, the update will improve textures, shaders and various graphical elements of the maps, which will create additional workload. These two effects may simply neutralize each other. Most players should not have problems with system requirements, because Source 2 was also released about ten years ago, which means that it will run on old machines without problems.
The anti-cheat will most likely remain the same. According to Valve, it is already quite effective, despite the fact that it occasionally draws criticism from the community. The current system combines various methods of detecting foul play, including analyzing player behavior using artificial intelligence and involving other players in solving difficult cases.
While improvements in texture quality and lighting can be expected, significant changes to the graphical style are also unlikely. According to insiders, the cards with the s2 prefix, which have been in the works for the past six months, are almost indistinguishable from the original. However, there will definitely be new opportunities for modders and mappemakers. Similar situation with skins for CS:GO – existing items will remain unchanged, but there may be new effects and surface textures, and the process of creating skins will become more convenient.
Thus, we can hope that Valve will be able to maintain a balance by utilizing the capabilities of the new engine, but without disrupting the usual order of things for players.
