Image via Valve

Panorama UI is leveling up Counter-Strike 2 watch parties in a big way

In-game Major watch party anyone?

Counter-Strike 2 will already see huge changes to every facet of the game, but a player on April 26 has discovered a feature that is bound to shake up the viewing experience—and it comes courtesy of an update added five years ago.

Recommended Videos

The Panorama UI was introduced to CS:GO in 2018, with CS2 bringing new changes to the beloved system. “CS2 mappers” can now create an in-game viewing spectacle, where gamers can watch their favorite videos or streams before rushing B.

Mapper and modder Angel_Foxxo discovered the feature in the Source engine discord, and now fans can watch all the ohnePixel they want in their CS2 matches. The videos appear on the player’s screen, almost completely integrated with the map behind it.

This could be an incredible opportunity for community servers. Players could migrate to a CS2 community server to watch tournaments with their favorite teams alongside their fellow Counter-Strike players—all while moving around the map at the same time.

Fans could already watch their favorite teams battle it out through the main menu thanks to Valve, but now we might be in a new era of Counter-Strike viewership.

Panorama was originally introduced into CS:GO to fix FPS rates and refresh the complete look and feel of the menus. The update overhauled several features that have become the norm; players could see more details through in-game leaderboards, weapons, and player skins in the main menu, and a whole lot more that makes Counter-Strike feel the way it does today.

Related: Counter-Strike players are convinced Valve isn’t sending out any more CS2 beta invites

This new UI feature has only been discovered in the short time since the beta’s release. With a large portion of the community still unable to access the beta entirely, this viewing system is a good sign for what’s to come.

We’ll just have to wait until everyone gets beta access.


Dot Esports is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more
related content
Read Article Counter-Strike 2 Premier: CS2 Rating explained
Premier mode logo in Counter-Strike 2.
Read Article ‘You’re only as strong as your team’: Vexite, FlyQuest seek CS2 consistency after RMR hiccup
Vexite sits at his PC playing CS2 at IEM Chengdu.
Read Article CS2 map creator gives sneak preview of a classic map makeover, but it won’t be ready soon
A sneak preview of Cache, a map remastered in CS2, based in the Chernobyl Power Plant.
Related Content
Read Article Counter-Strike 2 Premier: CS2 Rating explained
Premier mode logo in Counter-Strike 2.
Read Article ‘You’re only as strong as your team’: Vexite, FlyQuest seek CS2 consistency after RMR hiccup
Vexite sits at his PC playing CS2 at IEM Chengdu.
Read Article CS2 map creator gives sneak preview of a classic map makeover, but it won’t be ready soon
A sneak preview of Cache, a map remastered in CS2, based in the Chernobyl Power Plant.
Author
Harrison Thomas
CS:GO, Overwatch, and Valorant Staff Writer - Played CS:GO since 2012 and keep a close eye on other titles. Give me a game and I'll write about it. Ranks are private information. Contact harry@dotesports.com