Computer & Video Games has posted a Q&A with Valve's Doug Lombardi and Jess Cliffe, asking them all about Counter-Strike: Source.

Well it looks like Counter-Strike: Source is becoming a reality a little sooner than the pessimists expected after the delay announced a little while ago. Here is word from Valve:

Counter-Strike: Source Beta Pre-Loading to Cyber Cafes
 
Pre-loading of the Counter-Strike: Source Beta to cyber cafes begins today. On Wednesday, this first phase of the beta will open and the game will be playable at all cyber cafes that subscribe to the Valve Cyber Cafe Program. Later this month, the beta will be extended to owners of Counter-Strike(tm): Condition Zero(tm) and ATI Fulfillment Coupon holders.

This beta serves as a compatibility test of the Source engine as we near completion of development on Half-Life 2 and Counter-Strike: Source. During this limited-time beta, issues can be reported using the in-game bug-reporting tool. In addition any crashes will automatically generate a report back to Valve's bug database. We thank everyone for their participation, and we hope Half-Life 2 and Counter-Strike: Source live up to your expectations.

PC.IGN is the latest site to take a look at Counter-Strike: Source, offering brief DE_Dust remake impressions. Beta testing of CS: Source should start some time this month.

There's a Counter-Strike: Source article on 1UP, offering early beta impressions of the Half-Life 2 engine powered version of the game which was shown at G4's G-Phoria award show. GameSpot also has a new preview despite looking at the game only a few days ago.

There's a Counter-Strike: Source preview on GameSpot, offering pre-beta impressions of the Half-Life 2 engine powered version of the game. New media is included.

According to this message by Valve's Greg Coomer, the upcoming Counter-Strike: Source beta will be a bit less limited than before. While initially only Condition Zero owners and Cybercafe partners were going to be allowed to test the game, people with a ATI Half-Life 2 coupon will now be able to get in on the fun as well. Thanks InfusionOfFear. Half-Life Radio already has some impressions posted.

A very high resolution (1024x768) Counter-Strike: Source movie is now available, showing two minutes of ingame footage first shown during E3 2004. The Source Engine powered version of Counter-Strike will ship with Half-Life 2 and will also be available stand-alone through Steam later this year.

CSNation has posted a Counter-Strike: Source Q&A, asking Jess Cliffe of Valve Software about the Half-Life 2 engine port of the gaming classic. Among other things, Cliffe confirms that Counter-Strike: Source is the only multiplayer game shipping with Half-Life 2.

CS-Nation: What changes have been made to the maps ported to CS: Source?
Jess Cliffe of Valve Software: The texture resolution for maps has quadrupled. We can now also add a 3D skybox so maps can look as though they span miles. This serves to make levels less like an arena and more like a realistic location. In addition, designers have the flexibility to specify whether a prop is static, physics, or client side debris. We can also take advantage of features such as normal mapping and specularity in order to give textures extra depth and reflectivity.

There is a hands-on preview of CS: Source on CSNation as well.

We received a brief email from Valve Software, announcing that "limited-time" beta testing of Counter-Strike: Source will start later this summer through Steam.

The beta will first be open to subscribers of the Valve Cybercafe Program, and then extended to owners of Counter-Strike: Condition Zero. The next installment of the world's number 1 online action game, Counter-Strike: Source blends CS's intense teamplay with the advanced technology of Valve's Source engine. For more information, please visit www.steampowered.com.

ShackES pointed the way to this Canadian video looking at some troubles facing internet cafe's and regulations, in addition there's some footage of Counter-Strike2 in development (just some models) and Gooseman talking about it. If you had any doubt Counter-Strike2 was being worked on, doubt no longer. (This story already confirmed it a while ago btw)

There's a tiny piece of information about Counter Strike 2 on PlanetCS.de. Gooseman shares this tidbit about weapons/scenarios.

I can't say much about CS2 .. All I can say is , everything is being done from scratch. There will be new guns but at the same time we'll be keeping some old ones. I'd say half new ones, and half old ones. We're also working on some new scenarios as well.

Saw that on Stomped.

A little Counter-Strike 2 stuff this evening for you guys. Ok well mostly it's just a confirmation that the CS2 project is a reality, as I cant really recall any official confirmation of the project. The guys at Gamigo have a couple of responses from Gooseman and Cliffe asking about things. Thanks MurrayDaSkull

We're not ready to announce CS2 yet.. All we can say is, CS2 is being worked on at the same time CS 1.3 is being worked on..

No word on if CS2 will be stand alone, working with Half-Life2, or TeamFortress2. There is a mention of a release date there as well, but release dates this far off are about as valuable as chihuahua farts in a plastic bag.