Counter-Strike has been a PC-focused franchise since its first iteration all the way back in 2001. That changed Counter Strike: Global Offensive. The classic shooter made its way to consoles with an updated UI build specifically to help controllers navigate the menus. Now that Counter Strike 2 is out, you may be wondering: Is CS2 on console? We’re here to answer that.
Is Counter Strike 2 on Consoles? Answered
As of writing, there’s currently no way to make Counter Strike 2 playable on any console. Neither are there plans at Valve to bring the tactical shooter to console. You can only play it on PC or Linux via SteamOS. There are several reasons for this unfortunate but likely necessary choice on Valve’s part. But speaking only for the game, the UI is the biggest culprit.
Why CS2 Won’t (Likely) Come to PlayStation and Xbox
In its current state, the Counter Strike 2 user interface is almost unusable without some sort of mouse analog. The Buy Menu alone has been completely rebuilt with M&K in mind. There aren’t any selection wheels or other controller-friendly menus here.
From a player perspective, the move to a PC-only ecosystem has a lot of benefits from those players who can get in and frag. First and foremost, Valve has complete control over the patching and update process. Both PlayStation and Xbox require an extensive certification process for any update that goes live on their platforms. Most updates on multiple platforms need to be on the larger side to accommodate the time investment in getting them out.
Counter Strike 2 won’t have that problem. No matter how big or small the issue, Valve can release an update to address it. The dev can go so far as overhauling a map’s entire design, adding geometry, skybox limits, or other changes as necessary.
Perhaps more importantly, player custom configurations remain on the menu. That includes rebinding the jump button or building configs that fundamentally alter how a game looks and feels. While PC-specific custom configurations are a staple of Counter Strike no matter what version you’re playing, Valve would have to go out of its way to give that kind of customization power to console players. And they’ve never had a history of doing so. That hasn’t changed.
So, no. You can‘t play Counter Strike 2 on any console, new or old. However, its PC system requirements are incredibly forgiving given all the engine-level updates the game received. The launch hasn’t been without its hitches, but CS2 will hopefully usher in at least another decade of Counter Strike greatness. For more on that, see our guides hub.
