Counter-Strike 2 players have discovered an unannounced feature that allows them to hatch and raise virtual chickens. This addition, which appears to have been shadow-dropped by Valve, overshadows the game's official "Rush Hour" update, which introduced a new fast-paced mode and silent reloading.
Chickens have been a familiar, albeit non-interactive, element in Counter-Strike maps for some time. Previously, players could approach them and encourage them to follow. The new system, however, adds a layer of deep customization and interaction. Players can receive an untradeable egg as a weekly drop. After a week, this egg hatches into a chick.
The chick can be named, taken to a photo booth, and will sit on the player's shoulder in the loadout screen. As the chick matures, it can be fed chicken feed and grow into a fully-fledged chicken with various rare skins. These cosmetic variations include a standard brown chicken, a white silkie, and a tan polish chicken. Reports indicate there are at least 35 different rarities for these chicken skins, with colors ranging from bright blue and purple-yellow to gradient patterns, nuclear red, and toxic green.
These virtual pets can perform a variety of tricks, including running in circles, flapping their wings to briefly fly, and even executing a "karate kick." Once fully grown, the chickens can accompany players into lobbies. While the adult chickens will eventually leave the player, their photograph will remain on the player's profile.
This surprising feature was not mentioned in the official patch notes, a move that has been noted as characteristically Valve-like. The addition of collectible, customizable pets stands in contrast to some of the game's ongoing technical concerns, such as its anti-cheat system.