Source 2

{{Use American English|date=March 2023}}

{{short description|Video game engine}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}

{{Infobox video game engine

| name = Source 2

| logo = Source 2 engine logo.svg

| logo alt = Official logo of Source 2

| developer = Valve

| released = {{start date and age|2015}}

| replaces = Source

| programming language = C++

| license = Proprietary

}}

Source 2 is a video game engine developed by Valve. The engine was announced in 2015 as the successor to the original Source engine, with the first game to use it, Dota 2, being ported from Source that same year. Other Valve games such as Artifact, Dota Underlords, Half-Life: Alyx, Counter-Strike 2, and Deadlock have been produced with the engine.

History

Plans for a successor to the original Source engine began following the release of Half-Life 2: Episode Two in 2007.{{cite web | url = https://www.ign.com/articles/valve-explains-why-half-life-2-episode-3-was-never-made | title = Valve Explains Why Half-Life 2: Episode 3 Was Never Made | first = Tom | last = Marks | date = March 23, 2020 | access-date = March 23, 2020 | work = IGN | archive-date = March 23, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200323171744/https://www.ign.com/articles/valve-explains-why-half-life-2-episode-3-was-never-made | url-status = live }}{{Cite book |last=Keighley |first=Geoff |title=Half-Life: Alyx - Final Hours |year=2020}} The first engine tech demo was created in 2010 by remaking a map from Left 4 Dead 2. Images of this were leaked onto the internet in early 2014.{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Tom |date=January 28, 2014 |title=Source 2 images show next-gen Left 4 Dead 2 prototype - report |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-01-28-source-2-images-show-next-gen-left-4-dead-2-prototype-report |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140131044301/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-01-28-source-2-images-show-next-gen-left-4-dead-2-prototype-report |archive-date=January 31, 2014 |access-date=December 2, 2020 |website=Eurogamer |language=en}} At the 2014 Game Developers Conference, Valve employee Sergiy Migdalskiy showed off a Source 2 physics debugging tool being used in Left 4 Dead 2.{{cite web |last=Migdalskiy |first=Sergiy |date=April 14, 2014 |title=Physics for Game Programmers Debugging |url=http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1020065/Physics-for-Game-Programmers-Debugging |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422132935/http://www.gdcvault.com/play/1020065/Physics-for-Game-Programmers-Debugging |archive-date=April 22, 2017 |access-date=April 21, 2017 |website=Game Developers Conference}} Source 2 was first made available via Steam Workshop tools for Dota 2 in 2014 prior to it being officially announced at the 2015 Game Developers Conference.{{cite web|url=http://www.polygon.com/2015/3/3/8145273/valve-source-2-announcement-free-developers|title=Valve announces Source 2 engine, free for developers|last=Kollar|first=Philip|website=Polygon |date=March 3, 2015|access-date=March 3, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150305093315/http://www.polygon.com/2015/3/3/8145273/valve-source-2-announcement-free-developers|archive-date=March 5, 2015}} There, Valve stated their intent for it was to allow for content to be created more efficiently.{{cite web |last=Walker |first=John |date=November 11, 2012 |title=Gabe Newell Might Have Announced Source 2, Possibly |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/11/11/gabe-newell-might-have-announced-source-2-possibly/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111205740/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/11/11/gabe-newell-might-have-announced-source-2-possibly/ |archive-date=November 11, 2020 |access-date=April 23, 2017 |website=Rock Paper Shotgun}}{{cite web |last=Mahardy |first=Mike |date=March 3, 2015 |title=GDC 2015: Valve Announces Source 2 Engine |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/03/04/gdc-2015-valve-announces-source-2-engine |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150304021002/http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/03/04/gdc-2015-valve-announces-source-2-engine |archive-date=March 4, 2015 |access-date=April 21, 2017 |website=IGN}}{{Cite web |last=McKeand |first=Kirk |date=March 2, 2017 |title=Gabe Newell on Source 2: 'For us, it's useful. For other devs, it's not as useful as Unity' |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/source-2-release-date |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723220222/https://www.pcgamesn.com/source-2-release-date |archive-date=July 23, 2020 |access-date=April 5, 2020 |website=PCGamesN |language=en-GB}} Valve also stated that it would support the Vulkan graphics API and use a new in-house physics engine called Rubikon, which would replace the need for the third-party Havok tools.{{cite news |last1=Mahardy |first1=Mike |date=March 3, 2015 |title=GDC 2015: Valve Announces Source 2 Engine |work=IGN |publisher= |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/03/04/gdc-2015-valve-announces-source-2-engine |url-status=live |access-date=March 3, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150304021002/http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/03/04/gdc-2015-valve-announces-source-2-engine |archive-date=March 4, 2015}}{{Cite web|url = http://media.steampowered.com/apps/valve/2015/Migdalskiy_Sergiy_Physics_Optimization_Strategies.pdf|title = Physics for Game Developers: Physics Optimization Strategies|date = March 2015|access-date = October 2, 2015|publisher = Game Developers Conference|last = Migdalskiy|first = Sergiy|url-status=live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304061355/http://media.steampowered.com/apps/valve/2015/Migdalskiy_Sergiy_Physics_Optimization_Strategies.pdf|archive-date = March 4, 2016|df = mdy-all}}

Gabe Newell, president and founder of Valve, said that the company were prioritizing the development of their own games before they would release the engine and its software development kit to the public. This was to ensure the highest quality for developers; he added that they were intending to make the engine free to use for game developers as long as the game is published on their Steam service.{{cite web |last=Zacny |first=Rob |date=February 16, 2016 |title=Khronos and Valve reveal details of Vulkan API, show Dota 2 running in Source 2 on Intel integrated graphics |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/khronos-and-valve-reveal-details-of-vulkan-api-show-dota-2-running-in-source-2-on-intel-integrated-graphics |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150307005554/https://www.pcgamesn.com/khronos-and-valve-reveal-details-of-vulkan-api-show-dota-2-running-in-source-2-on-intel-integrated-graphics |archive-date=March 7, 2015 |access-date=November 12, 2017 |website=PCGamesN |publisher=}}{{cite web |last=Savage |first=Phil |date=March 5, 2015 |title=Source 2 will be free; won't ask for royalties |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/source-2-will-be-free-wont-ask-for-royalties/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170425025555/http://www.pcgamer.com/source-2-will-be-free-wont-ask-for-royalties/ |archive-date=April 25, 2017 |access-date=April 24, 2017 |work=PC Gamer}}

In June 2015, Valve announced that the entirety of Dota 2 would be ported over to Source 2 in an update called Dota 2 Reborn.{{cite web |last=Anthony |first=Sebastian |date=August 8, 2014 |title=Valve quietly releases Source 2 engine, Source 2 version of Dota 2, and new Hammer map editor |url=https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/187723-valve-quietly-releases-source-2-engine-source-2-version-of-dota-2-and-new-hammer-map-editor |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809183322/https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/187723-valve-quietly-releases-source-2-engine-source-2-version-of-dota-2-and-new-hammer-map-editor |archive-date=August 9, 2014 |access-date=August 8, 2014 |website=ExtremeTech}}{{cite web |last=Plaugic |first=Lizzie |date=June 13, 2015 |title=Dota 2 is getting overhauled with a new game engine |url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/6/13/8776369/dota-2-reborn-new-engine-source-2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422133203/http://www.theverge.com/2015/6/13/8776369/dota-2-reborn-new-engine-source-2 |archive-date=April 22, 2017 |access-date=April 21, 2017 |website=The Verge}}{{cite web |last1=Martin |first1=Michael |date=June 13, 2015 |title=Valve Announces Dota 2 Reborn |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/06/13/valve-announces-dota-2-reborn-open-beta-coming-next-week |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629144536/http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/06/13/valve-announces-dota-2-reborn-open-beta-coming-next-week |archive-date=June 29, 2016 |access-date=July 10, 2016 |website=IGN}}{{cite web |last1=Macy |first1=Seth |date=September 9, 2015 |title=Dota 2 Now Valve's First Ever Source 2 Game |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/09/09/dota-2-now-valves-first-ever-source-2-game |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910075128/http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/09/09/dota-2-now-valves-first-ever-source-2-game |archive-date=September 10, 2015 |access-date=September 9, 2015 |website=IGN |publisher=}} Reborn was first released to the public as an opt-in beta update that same month before officially replacing the original client in September 2015, making it the first game to use the engine.{{cite web |last=Nunneley |first=Stephany |date=June 13, 2015 |title=Dota 2 being revamped with Source 2 engine and upgraded DotaTV experience |url=https://www.vg247.com/2015/06/13/dota-2-source-2-engine-dotatv/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422142931/https://www.vg247.com/2015/06/13/dota-2-source-2-engine-dotatv/ |archive-date=April 22, 2017 |access-date=April 21, 2017 |website=VG247}}{{cite web |last=Boudreau |first=Ian |date=June 13, 2015 |title=Dota 2 Will Update To Source 2 Engine Soon, Valve Says |url=http://gameranx.com/updates/id/30218/article/dota-2-will-update-to-source-2-engine-soon-valve-says/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001112250/http://gameranx.com/updates/id/30218/article/dota-2-will-update-to-source-2-engine-soon-valve-says/ |archive-date=October 1, 2015 |access-date=April 21, 2017 |website=GameRanx}}{{cite web |last=Livingston |first=Christopher |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/valve-announces-dota-2-reborn-new-engine-coming/ |title=Valve announces Dota 2 Reborn, new engine coming |date=June 12, 2015 |work=PC Gamer |access-date=June 13, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150615040444/http://www.pcgamer.com/valve-announces-dota-2-reborn-new-engine-coming/ |archive-date=June 15, 2015 }}{{cite web |last1=Macy |first1=Seth |date=September 9, 2015 |title=Dota 2 Now Valve's First Ever Source 2 Game |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/09/09/dota-2-now-valves-first-ever-source-2-game |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910075128/http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/09/09/dota-2-now-valves-first-ever-source-2-game |archive-date=September 10, 2015 |access-date=September 9, 2015 |website=IGN |publisher=}} Source 2 has also been used for Valve's Artifact and Dota Underlords, with the engine later being supported on Android and iOS for the latter.{{cite web | url = https://www.pcgamesn.com/artifact/artifact-source-2-ios-android | title = Artifact will use Source 2, bringing the engine to iOS and Android | first = Dustin | last = Bailey | date = March 8, 2018 | access-date = March 8, 2018 | work = PCGamesN | url-status=live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180309192121/https://www.pcgamesn.com/artifact/artifact-source-2-ios-android | archive-date = March 9, 2018 | df = mdy-all }}{{cite web |last1=McWhertor |first1=Michael |date=June 13, 2019 |title=Valve's Auto Chess competitor is Dota Underlords |url=https://www.polygon.com/2019/6/13/18678182/dota-underlords-valve-auto-chess-open-beta-platforms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190613222336/https://www.polygon.com/2019/6/13/18678182/dota-underlords-valve-auto-chess-open-beta-platforms |archive-date=June 13, 2019 |access-date=June 13, 2019 |website=Polygon}} The engine also supports the creation of games in virtual reality, being used in SteamVR Home, the Robot Repair tech demo within The Lab, and Half-Life: Alyx.{{cite web |last1=Heaney |first1=David |date=March 25, 2020 |title=Half-Life: Alyx Highlights Valve's Powerhouse Physics Engine |url=https://uploadvr.com/half-life-alyx-rubikon-physics/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723235814/https://uploadvr.com/half-life-alyx-rubikon-physics/ |archive-date=July 23, 2020 |access-date=April 5, 2020 |website=UploadVR}}{{cite web |last1=Hollister |first1=Sean |date=November 21, 2019 |title=Half-Life: Alyx is officially coming March 2020, and here's your first look |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/21/20975423/half-life-alyx-vr-price-release-date-screenshots-trailer-valve-steam |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191121185303/https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/21/20975423/half-life-alyx-vr-price-release-date-screenshots-trailer-valve-steam |archive-date=November 21, 2019 |access-date=November 21, 2019 |website=The Verge}} Source 2 tools made specifically for creating content for Half-Life: Alyx were released in May 2020.{{cite web |last=Fenlon |first=Wes |date=May 15, 2020 |title=Half-Life: Alyx now has Steam Workshop support and official mod tools |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/half-life-alyx-now-has-steam-workshop-support-and-official-mod-tools/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200517142057/https://www.pcgamer.com/half-life-alyx-now-has-steam-workshop-support-and-official-mod-tools/ |archive-date=May 17, 2020 |access-date=May 16, 2020 |website=PC Gamer}}

Games

class="wikitable sortable" width="auto"
Year

! Game

! Developer

! Note(s)

2015

| Dota 2

| rowspan="8" | Valve

| Ported from Source; originally released in 2013

2016

| Robot Repair

| Tech demo included within The Lab{{cite web|url=https://www.roadtovr.com/valve-releases-the-lab-unity-renderer-for-free/|title=Valve Releases 'The Lab' Unity Renderer for Free|last1=James|first1=Paul|website=RoadToVR|date=June 2, 2016 |access-date=March 29, 2018|archive-date=June 2, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160602205954/https://www.roadtovr.com/valve-releases-the-lab-unity-renderer-for-free/|url-status=live}}

2018

| Artifact

|

rowspan="2"| 2020

| Dota Underlords

| Released in early access in 2019

Half-Life: Alyx

| Made for virtual reality headsets

2022

| Aperture Desk Job

| Tech demo created for the Steam Deck{{cite web |last=Werner |first=Adrian |date=March 2, 2022 |title=While It's Not Portal 3, Valve's New Game Collects Accolades |url=https://www.gamepressure.com/newsroom/aperture-desk-job-delighted-gamers/ze40ee |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220303233714/https://www.gamepressure.com/newsroom/aperture-desk-job-delighted-gamers/ze40ee |archive-date=March 3, 2022 |accessdate=March 3, 2022 |work=Gamepressure}}

2023

| Counter-Strike 2

| Port of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (2012){{cite web |last1=Roth |first1=Emma |last2=Clark |first2=Mitchell |last3=Hollister |first3=Sean |date=March 22, 2023 |title=Valve announces Counter-Strike 2, a free replacement for CS:GO |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/22/23651939/counterstrike-cs2-valve-smoke-grenades-limited-test |access-date=22 March 2023 |website=The Verge}}

rowspan="2" {{TBA}}

| Deadlock

|Beta testing underway as of 2024

S&box

| Facepunch Studios

| {{ubl|Stylized as s&box; development shifted from Unreal Engine in 2020{{cite web |last=Newman |first=Garry |date=October 27, 2020 |title=New Engine |url=https://sbox.facepunch.com/news/new-engine |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119091458/https://sbox.facepunch.com/news/new-engine |archive-date=January 19, 2021 |access-date=January 25, 2022 |website=Facepunch}}|Expected to be a game engine and platform for developers to make Source 2 games{{Cite web |title="Explaining s&box" |url=https://sbox.game/news/july-update-97c0fa3c/explaining-sbox |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=sbox.game}}}}

References