A Counter-Strike 2 console release would let those not on PC partake in Valve’s latest competitive first-person shooter. Despite being a PC-centric company, the studio has put out some of its older titles on other hardware. So is CS2 coming to PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, or Nintendo Switch?
Is CS2 coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, or Switch?
Counter-Strike 2 is not currently on consoles and has only launched exclusively on PC through Steam, Valve’s digital marketplace. This means it is not on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, or Nintendo Switch.
Valve has not indicated if such ports are in the works. The developer has only spoken about the PC version.
As such, it is unclear if the game will leave the PC ecosystem. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive did come out on PS3 and Xbox 360 in August 2012, so there is a (relatively) recent precedent of Counter-Strike games coming to other pieces of hardware.
However, that was the last time Valve put ones of its games out on consoles. While it hasn’t developed a ton of games in the last decade, Artifact, Half-Life: Alyx, Aperture Desk Job, and Dota 2 all never came to any PlayStation, Nintendo, or Xbox systems. And, to make matters even more dire, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive on consoles did not receive nearly the amount of support that the PC version received. The console versions lagged far, far behind on updates when compared to the PC. And despite coming out a year or so before the PS4 and Xbox One, it never received a port to those more modern platforms.
Given this history, it is not too likely that a Counter-Strike 2 console release is in the cards, at least for the near future. It is also possible that Valve wants to keep its shooter on its own platform, as it would be able to get almost every cent of money spent on microtransactions. It would have to give Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo a cut if the game came to those first-party platforms.
CS2 console release FAQ
A: Currently, Counter-Strike 2 is exclusive to PC, available through Steam, and has not been released on any console platforms such as PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, or Nintendo Switch. Valve, the developer, has not indicated any plans for console ports at this time.
A: Valve has a history of limited console releases. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive was released on PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2012, but it did not receive the same level of support as the PC version and was not ported to more modern consoles. Other recent Valve games like Artifact, Half-Life: Alyx, Aperture Desk Job, and Dota 2 have not been made available on any PlayStation, Nintendo, or Xbox systems.
A: Given Valve’s limited history of console releases and the lack of support for previous Counter-Strike titles on consoles, it seems unlikely that Counter-Strike 2 will have a console release in the near future. Additionally, Valve might prefer to keep the game on its own platform to retain more revenue from microtransactions, avoiding sharing a cut with console manufacturers like Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo.
