"Everything is connected": CS2 fans react to supposed hidden reference to 17-year-old Valve game in Train
Train has finally been released in CS2 after much anticipation from fans. With the map now available, players are discovering intriguing new details that may not be immediately apparent. Recently, Gabe Follower, a content creator known for sharing news related to Valve, theorized in a post that the map might have a reference to another game from the developer, Portal.
Gabe Follower’s post included images comparing a sales graph originally found in Portal to a similar one inside a building on Train in CS2.
In response to this post, user @Teaduckthing246 speculated that everything Valve creates might be interconnected:
"Everything is connected"
Is this Easter egg intentional? It’s quite possible, given Valve's history of embedding references and Easter eggs in their games. For instance, there's the flip-switch in Pool Day that takes players back to the CS 1.6 version of the map.
This propensity for Easter eggs might have led user @3333eeee3333e to believe in a unified Valve universe:
"one Valve universe"
@N3XiST16 seemed to agree, suggesting that this could indeed be a Portal reference:
"I was looking at this very graph, and I didn't even read the name at the top. Great reference tho"
@Rings0fSaturn2k wondered if all Valve games exist within the same singular universe. If true, this could imply extensive lore for Train in CS2 and other Valve games.
How the release of Train in CS2 was teased online
Train's arrival in CS2 has been eagerly anticipated. The map was first teased in early release trailers before all information about it abruptly halted, leading fans to speculate about its launch.
Recently, an X post by the official Counter-Strike 2 account hinted at the map’s release in a peculiar fashion:
"Today's release, arriving in notes"
The first letter of each word in the announcement spelled out "Train." Fans quickly caught on to the subtle hint, and on November 14, 2024, the map was finally released in Counter-Strike 2 after numerous updates and retouches.