Leaked: CS2 Operation Release Still Expected In 2023?
After the initial Limited Test release of Counter-Strike 2, fans had eagerly been exploring the game files in search of any hints about upcoming content. One exciting discovery was made by @gabefollower on Twitter, who uncovered information about a potential 12th Operation in the near future:
Huh? @CounterStrike beta just came out and devs already working on a new Operation? Cause there’s a lot of stuff related to OP12. Things like 3 new weapon collections: Counter-Strike, Pop Comic, Myth & Monsters. New pins (were teased in official CS2 video). New cosmetic item called “Pets” (looks like skins / custom models for chicken or other companions) and much more yet to be found.
On March 24th, he revealed some hidden files that were found in the Counter-Strike 2 beta on Twitter, sparking a flurry of speculation among fans of the game. While there has been no official confirmation from Valve, Gabe Follower originally suggested that there may be an Operation release scheduled during the summer of 2023.
Summer came and went, and right after that, Counter-Strike 2 was finally released to the public. But, there has been no news of Operation so far, as was widely anticipated. Before we provide our own analysis of the new release dates for an Operation, we’ll dive deep into what these events are so you can prepare yourself for what may be coming your way soon.
What Is a Counter-Strike Operation?
An Operation is a limited-time event in Counter-Strike 2 where players can engage in new game modes, play on new maps, and unlock exclusive cosmetic items. An Operation usually lasts several months and is accompanied by a special Operation Pass, which can be purchased for a one-time fee.
The Operation Pass grants access to a variety of exclusive content, including new maps, new game modes, and new cosmetic items such as weapon skins, stickers, and graffiti. Players can complete missions to earn stars, which unlock new content and rewards. Completing all the missions within a week earns the player a bonus star, which can be used to unlock additional rewards. Additionally, these stars can also be purchased separately and used on any cosmetic item of the player’s choosing.
What Could We Expect From a New Operation?
Overall, a new Operation brings a variety of new content to the game, including iconic skin collections, a new case, and new maps. These additions keep the game fresh and exciting, and they offer players new challenges and opportunities to earn exclusive rewards. Let’s take a look at what we usually get from a new Operation:
New Skin Collections
First, let’s talk about the iconic skin collections. When a new Operation is released, Valve often introduces new weapon skins that are only available through that Operation. Such as, the Cobblestone Collection or the Norse Collection. These skins are usually highly sought after by players and can become quite valuable on the Steam marketplace. These skins are often created by Valve or community artists who submit their designs to Valve for consideration.
New Case
Next, let’s discuss the new case. Along with the iconic skin collections, a new Operation also brings a new case. The case would contain exclusive skins and either knives or gloves that can only be obtained by opening the case. Players can receive the case as a drop by completing missions within the Operation. These cases are usually obtainable through stars, but once the operation is over, they are discontinued. There is no other way to acquire them later except through listings on marketplaces by people who acquired them during the operation.
New Maps
Finally, a new Operation also brings new maps to the game. These maps are often created by the community and are selected by Valve to be included in the operation. Players can vote on the workshop for their favorite maps to be included. These new maps offer a fresh gameplay experience for players, and they often introduce new strategies and tactics that players must adapt to.
Three New Skin Collections Found
The Counter-Strike 2 files revealed three new skin collections for the 12th Operation. The collections are named “Counter Strike”, “Myth & Monsters”, and “Pop Comic”.
In the image above, Gabe Follower reveals all the skin images that were found in the game files. Some notable skins are the M4A4 | Chrome Fade, AK-47 | Omen, and AK-47 | Wildfire.
A Nameless Skin Collection
After Gabe Follower discovered some skin collections in the game files, other players began searching for new content as well. Among them was Brazilian YouTuber @Rick_wtf, who recently shared on Twitter his own findings. These appear to be a mix of various skins that have not yet been added to the game.
In the image above, the YouTuber reveals a variety of skins that he was able to uncover. Among these are several iconic finishes for new weapons, including the AWP | Whiteout and M4A1-S | Gamma Doppler. These skins would be highly sought after by players if they were ever officially released in the game.
New “Pets”
Aside from new weapon skins, it seems that there may be a new cosmetic item called “Pets” that will be added to Counter-Strike 2. These items seem like skins for chickens or other pets, although it’s unclear exactly what form they will take. To give players an idea of what these pets might look like, the concept image below was created by Reddit user u/KrystianoXPL.
New Pins
The game files also indicate a new pins capsule named “Pins Series 4”. The new capsule contains eleven new pins, with some notable ones being the “Anubis”, “Boss”, “Vertigo”, and, “Ancient” which are made by @GemsriGregory.
When Will The New Operation Release?
While Gabe Follower’s leaks initially generated a lot of buzz among fans of Counter-Strike, it’s important to note that we are still left with speculation, now that the summer season which was first anticipated to be the tentative time for the introduction of the Operation, has passed.
The skins shown in the leaks belong to weapon models that existed prior to the release of CS2, which suggests that an Operation featuring these skins could be delayed so that new skins can be selected to replace them. Whether these skins will be revamped to fit the newer weapon models, if these were only skins to test out, or if only a select few of these will eventually be chosen along with newer ones that are made solely for CS2 weapon models cannot be said with certainty at this point in time.
However, what’s more important to note is that since the release of CS2, things have not gone smoothly either for the general player community or the Developers themselves. At the time of its release, CS2 had been missing a lot of content such as Community Maps, Danger Zone mode, Wingman maps, Arms Race game modes, etc. Furthermore, the game has been plagued with numerous bugs which are being rectified through huge updates each week, while at the same time being further refined and balanced out. With this monolithic task at hand, we would be hard-pressed to predict the release of an Operation anytime this year.
Conclusion
It has just been over two years since the last Operation named Riptide was released. In the current state that the game is in, fans will have to wait and see what the future holds for CS2, and ask themselves whether the possibility of a new Operation any time before the end of the year is even realistic. Until then, we can continue to enjoy the current content despite its limitations and only hope about what might be coming next. If somehow Valve does manage to even get a chunk of its work out of the way in the coming weeks, we all might be in for a pleasant surprise just before the year ends, but don’t bet on it.
