Counter-Strike 2: What Can Fans Expect for CS2 Esports?
Quite some time has passed since the long-awaited sequel to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) was released in late 2023. Long-time fans of one of esports‘ most iconic titles flocked to Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) upon release, and many have since worked their way up the game’s refurbished ranked system.
Another Counter-Strike fan who’s no stranger to the game’s tactical gunplay recently made headlines when he posted a quick clip of his CS2 gameplay. Neymar Jr. is one of many athletes who favor Counter-Strike as an esports title, and the clip of his unfortunate AWP miss has become a warm reminder that even the most skilled athletes aren’t immune to video game mishaps. Aside from Neymar, fellow Brazilian soccer players Casemiro, Gabriel Jesus, and Lucas Lima have been known to show their passion for CS.
Just as soccer has its competitive scene, Counter-Strike’s professional esports scene is no small feat for many gamers. With Counter-Strike 2 warming up to be a deserving sequel to FPS esports titan CS:GO, many fans, industry experts, and professional gamers have been buzzing about what the future of CS2 esports may look like. Below, we’ll be doing a deep dive into what sets CS2 apart from its renowned predecessor and what fans and avid team supporters can expect from its already growing esports scene:
The Rise of Counter-Strike 2
Rumors of a new Counter-Strike game had circulated years before the official release of Counter-Strike 2. Before Counter-Strike: Global Offensive was released in 2012, the last CS game came out in 2004. Even back then, the hype around the Counter-Strike esports scene was unmatched, as other shooters like Call of Duty only established their first LAN tournaments in 2009.
Years later, Counter-Strike remained a first-person shooter (FPS) esports favorite, alongside other FPS games like Overwatch. After all, FPS games remain one of the most popular esports genres due to the balance between fast-paced gameplay and tactical strategy-making required to excel at the games. Many CS esports professionals remain at the top of their game due in part to various factors, from perfectly formed teams to mechanical skills like fast reflexes, reaction speed, and accurate aim.
When Counter-Strike 2 was finally officially announced in March 2023, fans quickly speculated the implications of the beloved game’s shift to the new Source 2 engine. Namely, upgraded graphics and in-game mechanics like physics and movement would be clear distinguishing factors from the decade-old CS:GO. Developers at Valve also announced that the game was built alongside a new server architecture, promising “sub-tick” gameplay that more accurately synchronizes player input — making in-game lags less frequent. Many maps from CS:GO were also upgraded, featuring new and improved lighting, with some maps like Inferno getting a complete overhaul from the ground up.
Still, remnants of the CS:GO days await for Counter-Strike enthusiasts. Cosmetic items like in-game weapon skins, knives, and gloves were transferred from CS:GO to CS2, and some maps like Dust II — dubbed “Touchstone” maps — were left unchanged. With so many clear changes and retained features, it’s no wonder that fans are excited about how the new game would fare esports-wise. Below, we’ll look at key aspects of Counter-Strike’s esports scene and how they’ll translate to CS2:
CS2 Esports Betting
One of the key aspects of CS esports fans will most likely look forward to is its betting culture. According to findings from Business Research Insights, the global esports betting market size was $9.7 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach over $35 billion in 2031. As esports becomes more and more accessible for viewers around the world and industry experts expect increasing income levels among the viewer demographic, it’s no surprise that esports betting has become a more and more viable endeavor.
Of course, Counter-Strike esports is no stranger to betting. CS’ esports presence in European countries is a significant factor behind the thriving betting culture, as these countries are also recognized for popular sports such as football and horse racing, where betting is heavily ingrained. Even in its early stages, CS2 players and fans are trying to improve their betting game. Based on this CS2 betting guide, factors such as betting odds are likely to stay the same despite being set in a new game, from predicting correct map and round scores to match winners and overtime outcomes. CS2 tournaments are also already underway, providing fans and bettors an avenue to grow their winnings while supporting their favorite players and teams.
By now, betting has become an integral part of Counter-Strike’s economy. Not only are developers at Valve the ones earning, but professional esports players are all too familiar with sizable winnings from their esports careers and tournament wins. Meanwhile, fans can earn money by betting, both in and out of the game. CS lootboxes, for example, are notorious for their hand in driving CS’ economy. Barely 24 hours after its release, CS2 made $40 million in revenue — despite being free-to-play — thanks to players opening paid cases to secure rare in-game items like Gloves, Knives, and other weapon skins. Some esports bettors have also turned to betting their in-game skins instead of money or crypto.
CS2 Teams and Players
Aside from the thriving betting culture, many fans are expecting grand comebacks from beloved CS:GO pros. This includes Counter-Strike legend s1mple, whose surprise retirement and departure from the Ukrainian organization NAVI shocked fans at first. Since then, s1mple has announced a return to professional play as well as a one-month loan signing from NAVI with the Saudi Arabian organization, Team Falcons. Team Falcons has been looking to build a CS2 superteam for some time and is contributing to the Saudi Arabian government’s initiative to invest further in esports.
Similarly, other former CS:GO pros are following suit. Notably, CS pro Stewie2K recently made his return in time for Counter-Strike 2, sharing a clip from his Twitch livestream of an AK-47 ace. Previously, the ELEAGUE Boston Major winner had considered a professional career shift from CS to Riot Games’ first-person shooter Valorant. After leaving the competitive scene in 2022, Stewie2K tried to pursue a career in Valorant but fell short of qualifying for the game’s Americas Challengers League.
Stewie2K is one of many former CS:GO pros who have made the move from CS to Valorant, as the two games share similar tactical gunplay different from the run-and-gun nature of shooters like Call of Duty or Halo. Many Valorant esports players today have backgrounds in Counter-Strike esports, but some, like Stewie2K, have since announced their move back to Counter-Strike as the game aims to rebuild its esports scene with CS2. This includes Belgian CS:GO pro Nivera, who has officially left the French organization Karmine Corp’s Valorant division to make his CS comeback. Nivera previously shifted to Valorant alongside older brother and fellow CS pro,
ScreaM, who remains in the Valorant pro scene.
CS2 tournaments and events
Finally, the key factor determining the future of Counter-Strike 2’s esports scene is the list of events and tournaments the game will have to offer players and fans. After being an active esports presence for 11 years, CS:GO has had some of the biggest and most exciting tournaments in esports history. DreamHack Winter 2013 was the first of 19 CS:GO Majors and marked the beginning of the now-renowned competitive circuit. Like most iconic esports events, the tournament birthed the long-standing rivalry between European CS giants Fnatic and Ninjas in Pyjamas (NIP). With CS2 events already being organized and hosted, fans eagerly await new rivalries and storylines to emerge.
One of the most awaited CS Majors of all time was the PGL Major Stockholm 2021. The tournament broke previous viewership records and boasted an increased prize pool of $2 million — the biggest prize pool ever offered for a CS tournament. Fans watched NAVI dominate the competition without dropping a single map, earning legend s1mple his long-awaited maiden Major trophy. However, the highlight of this tournament is that this was the start of rumors about Counter-Strike 2 two years before its official announcement and release.
With so much history and legacy bubbling in the CS esports scene, it’s no surprise to see fans being just as passionate about the potential of CS2’s esports legacy. With old teams and rosters being shuffled around and new in-game mechanics bound to change playstyles, the future of Counter-Strike 2’s esports may be hard to predict. If we’re to go by CS:GO’s dominant 11-year run as an esports favorite, however, fans and players shouldn’t be too worried.