CS2 celebrates two years since first announcement

They say time flies when you're having fun. Despite all the complaints about cheaters, performance drop, and in-game bugs, it's hard to fathom that we’ve already crossed two years since CS2 was first announced with a closed beta.

CS2 brought with it several changes, most notably the new Source engine, sub-tick system, MR12 format, and dynamic smoke grenades. At launch, the game was a minefield of bugs and errors, with players sharing laughs over the Michael Jackson peek and flying ragdolls.

It left many wondering if the game was ready for competitive play. But the new MR12 format turned out to be a breath of fresh air. And before we knew it, the first CS2 Major was upon us, the PGL CS2 Copenhagen Major, where NAVI took the bull by the horns and bested FaZe in the Grand Final.

Then came the start of 2024 that witnessed the meteoric rise of donk, which many reasoned came due to CS2’s peeker’s advantage. But even after several fixes aimed at nerfing it, donk's performance didn't tone down. And in December 2024, he lifted his first Major trophy with an MVP performance at the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024.

Shifting gears to the Indian scene, we’ve seen our fair share of ups and downs. While the competition has been on a slippery slope, the trajectory of the Indian teams has still been upwards. Despite not qualifying for the RMRs, Gods Reign finished third in the Closed Qualifiers for the PGL CS2 Copenhagen Major and went one better in the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 qualifiers.

The first big LAN event for the Indian scene was BLAST - The Draft, where Marcos Gaming lifted the trophy. Then came the time for Skyesports, hosting several international tournaments, most notably Skyesports Grand Slam 2024, Skyesports Masters 2024, and Skyesports Championship 2024.