Counter-Strike 2(CS2) and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive(CS: GO) can be easily confused by new players for being the same game but the truth is far from it. If you are one of them then this article is for you.
Counter-Strike franchise is one of the longest-standing esports franchises in the world which has seen several versions before becoming what it is today. What originally started as MOD for Half-Life, became the most popular FPS esports title in the world.
In the year 2000, Valve dropped Counter-Strike as an independent title separated from Half-Life. Three years later, we witnessed the launch of CS 1.6 which eventually established a global competitive scene for the game. CS 1.6 was succeeded by CS Source in 2004 followed by CS: GO was released in 2012 and finally CS2 in 2023.
CS: GO ran for over a decade and was responsible for the biggest boom in player count the game had ever seen. It set the standard for global penetration for an esports title given no other game at the time could replicate its global presence.
CS: GO dominated the esports industry for years before Valve launched CS2 in 2012. While the transition was far from smooth given the optimization issues that plagued CS2 in its early days as time passed, Valve completely ported its entire player base and esports scene to the new game.
CS2 is the latest iteration in the Counter-Strike franchise which succeeded CS: GO. The transition to the new game made sure that the fundamentals of the game are retained and anyone who enjoyed CS: GO is expected to come across a similar experience when playing CS2.
 and Counter-Strike 2 (CS2)? This guide breaks down the key differences between these two popular FPS games to help you choose the right one for you.){kind=link}