Counter-Strike is one of the most iconic PC titles in the history of gaming. The definitive first-person tactical shooter is synonymous with PC gaming, and has been since the first game released in 2000. Even now, following the release of Counter-Strike 2 in 2023, the series is still a dominant force on computers.
Many multiplayer shooters find success appealing to player bases outside of PC though. Has Counter-Strike finally done the same?
Is Counter-Strike Only on PC?
Counter-Strike 2 has only been officially released on PC. The lack of an official version for players on Mac is surprising, given that the game’s predecessor Counter-Strike: Global Offensive did in fact have official Mac support. CS2 is “playable” on Mac, but not in an official capacity.
CS2 is not available on any console either, though CS:GO still appears to be playable on the older generation. CS:GO released for Xbox 360 and PS3 when it came out in 2013. CS:GO was replaced by CS2 on PC when the current game launched last year, but the Xbox 360 version remains online, at least as recently as September 2023.
The game is also playable on Steam Deck, but it is not optimized for Valve’s handheld device. The CS2 Steam Deck compatibility rating states that it shows mouse and keyboard icons, as well as small in-game text that may be difficult to read on a smaller screen.
CS2’s launch without a console version indicates that it is probably not a huge priority for Valve at this time. However, Valve’s competitor Riot eventually released a console version of VALORANT years after its launch, so it wouldn’t be unheard of if Valve did the same.
Do you wish CS2 would come out on something else than PC? Let us know in the Insider Gaming forum.
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