Counter-Strike 2, the first direct sequel to one of the most important games in PC history, was released on September 27 after a limited testing period of nearly six months PC Gamer recently had the opportunity to ask Valve's Counter-Strike 2 development team We had the opportunity to ask them a wide range of questions about the game, one of which concerned a mode not found in CS2.

The CS2 release focuses on the competitive side of the game, which is obviously the most important thing to get right. However, since the early days of Counter-Strike, fans have played the game in a myriad of non-competitive ways. In particular, surfing scenes and community modes like Arms Race were eventually incorporated into the game. However, certain community modes introduced in CS:GO have yet to migrate.

"These modes have not been forgotten! says the CS2 development team. "Nevertheless, all game modes, regardless of their rules, are fundamentally dependent on solid core gameplay. So in the short term, our development efforts are focused on the space where players spend the overwhelming majority of their time.

"While this is a trade-off and naturally frustrating for players who primarily enjoyed other game modes, we believe this is the best approach for the long-term success of CS2.

So, please pay attention. While it is hard to argue with Valve's reasoning here, it is also easy to forget that CS:GO itself was not launched with many of the methods of play that later became so popular. Much of the dissatisfaction can also be attributed to player habits. For example, there are many complaints about the absence of Arms Race, which many players, myself included, used as a warm-up before plunging into the brutality and precision of full-blown competition.