On the 27th of September 2023, the long-awaited Counter Strike 2 (CS2) launched, after CS:GO made us wait years for a revamp. While it was available in a limited Beta mode throughout this year, the newly launched CS2 is nothing like we could have imagined. And we can’t confirm if that’s good or bad – yet.

We saw the Beta version have a tonne of issues, 1 or 2 measly map changes, and isolated features, but the rollout of the new release means we now all get to play the full game. CS:GO filled our memories for 11 years, and on the launch of CS2 it happened to be completely replaced, which caused an uproar for everyone.

Valve completely ruined the joy of the game for all by taking the launch one step further, and deleting all of CS:GO from our servers and the achievements we have had over all these years. Instead of launching it as a whole new game, they replaced the beloved CS:GO with a game that still needed plenty of updates and bug fixes.

We know that may be harsh, but we gamers have been ranking up our achievements for years, all for it to just disappear in a heartbeat, and we are angry. Nevertheless, we waited a year for this launch, so we’ll make do with what we’re given.

We took to the game with optimism, given that Valve, the creators, generated a buzz about this ultra-updated version of the game for years. We are given new maps, better visuals, lighting, and an “anti-cheat” system that is still getting cheated, so overall, the game is just so underdeveloped, it’s got a long way to go.

That’s not to say it’s a write-off because it certainly isn’t. Over 31 million people tuned in with this new version, so Counter-Strike as a whole is very much loved. It’s got a heap of potential to be the next best thing, and we can’t wait to see where it is next year. Let’s take a look at what problems the game had when it launched, and whether they have been fixed.

1) Bugs and errors while playing

This one’s a no-brainer, seeing as all new games need to be constantly played to stamp out the bugs, but CS:GO star Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev has called out CS2 creators for ruining the game altogether. We’d usually be keen to see the world championships with this guy and might even consider making a bet on Counter-Strike 2 tournaments, but he’s told pros to hold off on playing professionally until the bugs are fixed.

However, we know that betting in Esports can offer big wins, so you shouldn’t be put off by this comment. The bugs have already begun to be investigated, as famous eSports stars are mentioning that the sub-tick rate is off and the hitboxes are broken, even though they’re supposed to be 20% bigger than CS:GO.

There are comments that the frames are dropping, and the anti-cheat system isn’t working correctly. When we played, I certainly noticed a couple of these issues, but the bugs are on Valve’s radar, so we should be certainly on the path to bug-free shortly. It’s important for game producers to make sure games are as polished as possible when they become available, combining the classic elements with improved gameplay.

2) Sluggish Game Play

Valve has already started updating the fixes for this one, but it was a big nuisance in the first few days of launch. CS2 was a hell of a lot more sluggish than CS:GO, meaning we had a less fluid game, which spoiled it as a whole. This was due to Valve incorporating a new engine, Source 2. It was less smooth due to the GPU orientation, which puts a heavy workload on our hardware.

Yes, the game may be evolving, but that doesn’t mean we’ve got new hardware for it! Along with hardware delays, the mouse clicks also made for frustrating gameplay. The shot animation and click registration aren’t synchronized, like they would be in CS:GO, so we veterans had a lot of visual misses.

Though it counted as the click was registering, the visuals didn’t, which meant that we weren’t seeing correctly what was happening. This overall discourages you as a player, and we’re glad they hammered out the click issue, as it was a cause for concern.

3) Cheaters

They created an anti-cheat update for CS2, but it still has just as many cheaters as CS:GO. We’re not saying the old one was better, because it wasn’t (that game was full of cheats) – but the new one should be improved. It does exactly what its predecessor does, but in Premier Games only, and that is to allow cheats in this all-new competitive mode.

There are aim hackers and spin bots, so the cheating-detection systems need to be developed more. We saw it for CS:GO, and we just hope that Valve listens to us about their need to bolster the anti-cheat mechanism they already have.

Although there are a few issues that are damaging gameplay slightly, Valve has already been on the case to consistently keep updates going. We love the all-new polished look to the game, the high-res visuals, and the ultra-cool maps, which allow you to have all your weapons – so overall, we can see CS2 reaching bigger heights than CS:GO. You heard it here first.