Counter-Strike is at an all time high for its popularity. Coming off of the Counter Strike 2 release as well as some of the most incredible competitive moments over the past few years in Majors around the world have helped make the game the talk of the esports community. With gaming and esports scenes forming across a variety of platforms, should we ever expect a Counter Strike 2 PS5 and Xbox experience?

Source: Daniel Morris / Valve

STARTING OUT AS A PORT

We should start out by saying that, as of this moment, there is no Counter Strike 2 PS5 version, nor is there a Counter Strike 2 Xbox port.

When CS:GO’s development began, it was as port of Counter-Strike Source to come to current-gen consoles. Over time, it became a new Counter-Strike sequel to Counter-Strike Source after it was clear that there was more than a next gen coat of paint in the works. However, Valve announced that after 2016 there would no longer be cross platform play. This was due to the desire to maintain the PC version with frequent updates. It wouldn’t be feasible while paired with the console versions which were never updated a single time. This inability to maintain a hypothetical Counter Strike 2 ps5 port means it’s unlikely to ever come about.

CAN’T BEAT A MOUSE AND KEYBOARD

Logistics of managing a game as massive as Counter-strike on multiple platforms aside, Counter-Strike is extremely tied to the mouse and keyboard. At the point that CS2 was released, Counter-Strike was already 20 years old. Its success is largely tied to clutch execution on a mouse and keyboard.

Some simiar titles are making a push to include console players. However, these have mixed results and often resulting in a split player base. Fortunately, there have been competitive shooters that see play on controller so hope isn’t lost entirely. It would be a tremendous amount of work to maintain that balance, and CS2 is still receiving frequent updates to the gameplay as is, without concern for controllers.

SOURCE 2’S IMPACT

With CS2’s Source 2 engine, the hope for next generation console implementation seems more likely.

Unfortunately, Valve hasn’t released or announced plans to bring any of their titles on Source 2 to console so far. This might suggest that it’s not something they’re prioritizing at the moment. With Aperture Desk Job being the only title they’ve released outside of the desktop PC space, and even that running on their own Steam Decks. Our guess is not to expect anything like a surprise Counter Strike Xbox game pass inclusion any time soon.

The issues of splitting a player base and precise enough controls wouldn’t be solved outright by this. The CS2 system requirements would certainly be less of a headache for console players.