CS2 Season 2 is Arriving At The Station With Significant Changes

It's been a while since Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) officially released (27 September 2024) and ushered in the first season of Premier Mode. Now, four months later, Valve has officially revealed that CS2 Season 2 will be released "this week."

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The developer did not give any specifics on the release date, but I expect Season 2 to be released on Thursday, 30 January 2025, or earlier. This week does run from 27 January to 2 February, so it could be a little earlier, or later.

What to Expect From CS2 Season 2

In Valve's initial announcement of CS2 Season 2, the developer did reveal some things players can expect. First off, anyone who earned CS Rating (via Premier Mode) in the first season will receive a "Premier Season One Medal," which includes detailed statistics. Valve explains:

Your medal includes detailed Season Statistics that you can view by clicking on the medal in your inventory. Review your Season One highs and lows with graphs of your CSR and playtime, or view your map-specific stats to find areas of improvement for Season Two.

There will be a one-day downtime for Premier Mode at the start of the new season, and your CS Rating will be recalibrated for the new season based on your performances in the first. You'll need to complete and win ten Premier Mode matches to unlock your CS Rating in the new season.

CS2 Season 2 will also bring some actual gameplay changes. As expected, Train has moved into the Active Duty map pool, replacing Vertigo. Valve has also improved the FAMAS assault rifle's crouching and standing accuracy and reduced its price. Lastly, the M4A4 also gets a slight price reduction.

Many fans might wonder why Valve took so long to release CS2 Season 2. According to a credible source, Gabe Follower, one reason could be the testing of a new version of Valve's Anti-Cheat system, VAC 3.0.

Season 2 in Premier is finally announced, but why it took so long? It looks like developers are still actively testing VAC 3.0 anti-cheat, what should we expect next week?

Watch it here - https://t.co/q6nANFpPg0pic.twitter.com/qRL0Arb3su

— ‎Gabe Follower (@gabefollower) January 25, 2025

Remember that you should take information about VAC 3.0 as a rumor, and therefore, with a large helping of salt until Valve reveals official information.

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