Is There Any Difference Between CS:GO And Counter-Strike 2?

The launch of Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) has been a long-awaited moment for the gaming community. Now that Valve has released the game, many are curious as to what are the new offerings that Counter-Strike 2 brings to the table. Given that this update comes a decade after the release of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), it is bound to contain new features and some great improvements. In this article, we’ll be listing down all the things that makes Counter-Strike 2 different from CS:GO.

If you’re someone who has been sucked into the Counter-Strike hype and want to check it out for yourself, we don’t blame you. The newest update to the game has gotten the entire gaming community buzzing with excitement. Now that it has been released, we can finally bring you all the details you’ll need to get started. As more and more players jump into the action, it’s important to know all the changes that comes with this big update.

Differences between Counter-Strike 2 and CS:GO

• Game Engine

The first difference that players will notice between CS:GO and CS2 is the game engine. It is known that CS:GO used the Source engine for the past 11 years. In 2015, Source 2 was made ready for DOTA 2 players, and naturally CS:GO fans wanted to see their beloved game get the same upgrade. These wishes were finally realized with CS2 using Source 2 as its game engine. This upgrade not only brings with it better visuals but also an overall better gameplay experience. Apart from this, community map makers will also love all the new Source 2 tools that are available for faster and easier map builds.

• Server Tick-Rate (Sub-Tick Introduced)

The tick-rate in CS:GO has been one of the biggest issues for players in the game. A server’s tick-rate is used to determine how often information is updated on the server. Usually Valve’s servers offer players with a tick-rate of 64Hz, which is the same in Counter-Strike 2 as well. The tick-rate on Counter-Strike 2 can go up to 128Hz which is faster, however, instead of increasing the tick-rate, Valve has decided to bring in a new server architecture. This is where Sub-Tick comes in. According to Valve, with sub-tick the server can now calculate every player’s exact actions between ticks. This means that the tick-rates between shooting and moving don’t matter anymore. With the help of sub-ticks, CS2 servers will know the precise time for each player’s action.

• New Rating

In CS2, players will also be introduced to a new rating system that will determine their skill level. The new system not only allows players to see their skill rating but also allows them to find out which match will give them a high or low rank in the game. The new Premier mode will implement this system.

• Map Changes and Improvements

Maps are an essential part of CS2 and there is a plethora of them available for players to choose from. Here’s a list of all the maps along with the modes they are available in:

• Premier Mode – Ancient, Inferno, Overpass, Mirage, Anubis, Vertigo, and Nuke
• Competitive Mode – Office, Nuke, Ancient, Dust 2, Overpass, Inferno, Overpass, Vertigo, and Anubis.
• Wingman Mode – Inferno, Vertigo, Nuke, and Overpass
• Casual Mode –
  • Defusal Group Sigma: Ancient, Vertigo, Overpass, and Mirage.
  • Defusal Group Beta: Nuke, Anubis, Inferno
  • Hostage Group: Italy and Office
  • Dust 2 (separate category)
• Deathmatch Mode –
  • Defusal Group Sigma: Ancient, Vertigo, Overpass, and Mirage.
  • Defusal Group Beta: Nuke, Anubis, Inferno
  • Hostage Group: Italy and Office
  • Dust 2 (separate category)

Maps in CS2 are classified into three categories- Touchstone, Upgrades, and Overhauls.

• Touchstone Maps – Vertigo, Mirage, Dust 2: These are well-known legacy maps and don’t have any major changes done to them except the visual improvements that comes with the Source 2 engine. They are more or less the same going from CS:GO to CS2.
• Upgraded Maps – Ancient and Nuke: Developers have made significant changes to the graphics of these two maps.
• Overhauled Maps – Italy, Overpass, Inferno: Players should expect some major changes to these maps especially in the layout which includes the bomb sites as well.

• Gameplay and Mechanics

The warzone setting of the game means that things like smoke are a common sight. One of the new features that players are excited for is the 3D volumetric smoke that the developers have designed. This new smoke design completely transforms the way smoke reacts with the player’s activity and its environments. For example, players can now shoot through the smoke to create a gap of sight that might be helpful to spot enemies trying to hide behind it. Since the smoke is now volumetric, they will no longer block areas they land on but will occupy hollow spaces. Changes to the volume means that one-way smokes are tougher as the smoke will appear the same to everyone on the server.

The new changes that CS2 brings is surely something players are going to love. With so many significant differences between the two games, its no wonder that the release of CS2 was such a highly-anticipated one.