Valve might make Counter-Strike 2 matches shorter

Valve has announced that it's on the hunt for Smurf accounts and their associated main accounts. 

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Earlier this year Valve announced Counter-Strike 2, alongside a limited test that invited a small percentage of the playerbase in to smell the roses. Since then the developer has been using the test to, well, test things: rotating maps in and out, adding new features one by one, and generally fine-tuning this thing before the masses descend. And that time is at hand.

Valve’s Counter-Strike 2 is making big changes to its systems, from overhauling Smoke Grenades into dynamic volumetric objects and sub-tick updates for servers. That extends to the skill rating and Competitive rules. In a new video, the developer outlined CS Rating, a “precise display” of one’s skill, complete with regional and global leaderboards.

Released in 2006, Dark Messiah Of Might And Magic made the most of still-novel physics tech by letting you torment orcs with slippy floors, collapsing log piles, and swift kicks directly into spikes. These slapstick delights made it a cult classic, but rights-holders Ubisoft haven't done much with the game since.

Counter-Strike 2 seems closer than ever, as Valve continues its closed Counter-Strike 2 beta testing to hone the huge, free update to the competitive FPS game that sits consistently atop the most-played charts on Steam. But with the window set for the Counter-Strike 2 release date getting smaller by the day, it might not be long before we can all finally get our hands on the CSGO sequel.

Valve has released a new update for Left 4 Dead 2 showing that, whatever the fans may think, someone over there is certainly paying attention to all their complaints. It makes substantial, not-so-substantial, and in some cases slightly bonkers changes to the game. Try this on for size: «Restored the knife's original horizontal swing trajectory.» Knife is once more the best! Though the skillet will always hold a special place in my heart.

At this point, XCOM is more of a genre than a game. What began as a reboot of the ’90s tactical series with 2012’s XCOM: Enemy Unknown has spawned imitators in the worlds of Warhammer 40,000, Gears of War, and even Mario (plus Rabbids). Firaxis Games’ potent blend of squad customization, turn-based skirmishes, and party recruitment works in just about any universe, it would seem. So is it surprising that it meshes well with the Jungian world of Persona 5? Not really. Is it exciting to see it in action nonetheless? Absolutely.

When it comes to Pokemon, its fanbase is always working on cool new projects. With the excitement in full swing for the upcoming Pokemon Scarlet and Violet DLC, players are hyped for the new creatures coming to the game.

Counter-Strike 2 isn’t here just yet, at least not in full, but the upcoming FPS game has fans all over the world excited. Valve has kept the hype going with its limited playtest, but many players have been awaiting news of an open beta or early access. The team behind Steam has been hard at work improving Counter-Strike 2 with updates to its limited test, and it looks like the most recent one may actually mean some kind of CS2 release is in sight.

Steam Remote Play is a handy service that lets you stream compatible games from your Steam library to your phone, tablet, or laptop. Its sister feature, Remote Play Together, facilitates streaming to your friends, and even lets them join in your games. Until now, we were limited to fiddling with our settings to allow 4K streaming, and there were often performance issues. But with the latest Steam Client Beta update, Valve has added support for “4K high quality streaming presets”. It’s about time, too.

The Sewers of Baldur’s Gate is full of filth, gnarly enemies, and, as it turns out, some puzzles. While exploring this region of Baldur’s Gate 3, players might run into the Abandoned Cistern’s Water and Temperature Valve puzzle.