With the release of Counter-Strike 2, the community seems divided on the new gameplay changes and updates. CS2 and CS:GO are essentially “the same game” with CS2 being an update, rather than a new release. For this reason, many players are arguing that CS2 is a direct upgrade to its predecessor. However, there are some changes that even the pros find frustrating leaving everyone wondering whether CS2 is better than CS:GO.
We had the same problem in the past when CS:GO was released and the community did not like the changes. Perhaps it will just take time for everyone to get used to these changes and adapt their playstyle for this next-gen overhaul.
So… is CS2 better than CS:GO? Here’s everything you need to know!
Related: CSGO ESL Pro League: Season 18 Playoffs Overview
Gameplay Updates
CS2 features a range of changes from visual and lighting upgrades to complete utility reworks. In the eyes of the developer, these changes will be improvements, but it will take time for the community to appreciate these updates. Here are some of the most notable updates:
- Volumetric Smoke Grenades
- Molotov Lighting and Spread Distance
- Recoil and Spray Control (Shot Deviation)
- No Skybox Limitations
There are some other small changes to gameplay, however, these are the notable ones that will make a big difference to day-to-day gameplay. Valve has also made changes to the tech behind Counter-Strike with sub-tick servers being the talk of the town.
CS2 Sub-Tick Servers
To fully understand sub-tick, you need a basic understanding of how Counter-Strike servers function. In CS:GO the servers were on “64 tick”. Essentially, this means the servers update 64 times every second. Although this is fast, it does leave some gaps where players feel like their bullets aren’t registered.
Faceit helped to mitigate this for top-end players with 126 tick servers, doubling how many times the server updated a second. CS2 is attempting to overhaul this system with Valve’s new sub-tick server tech.
These servers will recognise when players make an input and record the exact time that input was made. This, in theory, should create a much more reliable game and mitigate any issues with desync or hit registration. Unfortunately, some players are noticing some major issues with hit-reg with this new tech.
There are a few reasons this is happening. Although the game records exactly when an input happens, it still waits until the next server tick to play an animation. This creates a perception of hit reg issues, but it is in fact animation lag. In CS2’s most recent update, Valve has fixed issues with players’ models and hitboxes making the game feel much better and improving the major complaints from across the community.
What’s Next?
Valve still has a lot of work to do to bring CS2 up to a competitive standard. Although this may be the case, the upgrade to the new Source engine will allow for further developments to the game and more content for players to enjoy, from maps to cosmetics.
Whether the game is “better” than CS:GO is still up for debate and really comes down to personal opinion. However, given time, Counter-Strike 2 can put Valve back on top of the FPS genre.
