All the new graphics options coming in CS2

William Davis Published 20/05/2023

Counter-Strike 2 will completely overhaul the game’s graphics, and that means a ton of new options to play with.

CSGO players looking to level up their game often turn to pro settings to replicate the exact same experience that wins championships. Video settings are a big part of it, and CS2 is already confirmed to feature legacy options like 3:4 ratios, black bars, and more. But the Source 2 engine will also bring new options to enhance anti-aliasing, shadows, in-game performance, and much more.

CS2 to feature new graphics anti-aliasing options

Opening up the CS2 graphics menu will reveal the option to switch to CMAA2, a new form of anti-aliasing not available in Global Offensive. CMAA2 is effectively an upgraded form of FXAA, which is the “budget” AA option in many PC games. MSAA will remain the option for players who value peak visual clarity over maximum FPS.

Developed by Intel, CMAA2 has improved performance over FXAA in both graphical fidelity and performance. Anti-aliased edges are slightly smoother and closer to the original image, but it’s less taxing on hardware than traditional FXAA. Intel has officially stopped the development of CMAA2, making it a surprise inclusion in the new graphics options for CS2.

CS2 would let you turn off shadows entirely

In addition to boosting performance with optimized anti-aliasing, CS2 players on low-end computers appear to be able to turn off dynamic shadows entirely. The only visible shadows will be those that are already programmed into the map, so things like swaying trees and wires won’t drag down your FPS. For gameplay reasons, player shadows will continue to render, so don’t worry about giving up holding the catwalk from CT on Dust 2.

This wasn’t possible in the original Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and it should have a significant impact on game performance. Shadows are some of the most taxing graphical options in games, and Source 2 is no exception. For those with powerful graphics cards, CS2 will keep all of the high-end shadow options with all the benefits of the engine update.

Read Also

Counter-Strike

ENVY Returns to Counter-Strike After Five Years, Picking Up an “Unpaid” 3DMAX Roster Owen Harsono North American esports organization ENVY has officially made its return to Counter-Strike. After putting its CS:GO division on hold in 2021, the org returns by signing the full former 3DMAX roster, so they aren't starting from scratch. ENVY is not only a massive esports organization, but also a legendary one in Counter-Strike. The org fielded one of the strongest French rosters in history, winning the DreamHack Open Cluj-Napoca Major in ...

Valorant

Complexity Gaming shuts down after 23 years – Here’s what we know Khizar Mundia Esports organization Complexity Gaming is ending its 23-year run, as its founder announces its shutdown. Complexity is an organization that has been around since the early days of esports. The organization had rosters in multiple games, including Counter-Strike and Valorant. Despite this, Complexity’s CS roster was the most famous, as it won several major events. This is why it was a surprise for fans to hear that Complexity is shutting ...

Counter-Strike

Team Vitality vs FURIA: Predictions and best picks for StarLadder StarSeries 2026 Owen Harsono We have a clash of titans in the StarLadder StarSeries Fall consolidation final, as Team Vitality will take on FURIA for a grand final spot. Both teams have shown signs of shakiness throughout the event, so expect some scrappy Counter-Strike. Here are our Team Vitality vs FURIA predictions. Tournament: StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026 Stage: Playoffs – Lower Bracket Final Game: Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) Format: Best of 3 Betting tip: These ...

Counter-Strike

MOUZ vs FURIA: Predictions and best picks for StarLadder StarSeries 2026 Owen Harsono MOUZ are set to take on FURIA in a do-or-die match in the $500,000 StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026 lower bracket. Both teams have already suffered losses at the event, but we believe one team is in much better shape than the other. Here are our MOUZ vs FURIA predictions for September 19. Tournament: StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026 Stage: Playoffs Game: Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) Format: Best of 3 Betting tip: MOUZ ...

Counter-Strike

StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026: Teams, format, schedule, and prize pool Owen Harsono Top-tier Counter-Strike is back on the menu with StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026. It’s not a 16-team tournament with every top team in attendance, but it’s still bound to entertain us for a solid four days. Here’s everything you need to know about StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026. Tier 1 Counter-Strike lands in Spain again for the first time in a while, with only eight teams in attendance. StarLadder StarSeries will be ...

Counter-Strike

Team Spirit vs Team Falcons at BLAST Open Fall 2026: best predictions and picks Owen Harsono We’re in for a treat, as the BLAST Open Fall semi-final will feature a matchup between Team Spirit and Team Falcons, with the winner booking a spot in the grand final. It’s a battle between the world number one and number two, so this is a match you definitely don’t want to miss. Here are our BLAST Open Fall Team Spirit vs Team Falcons predictions. Tournament: BLAST Open Fall 2026 ...

Counter-Strike

Is CS2 Dying in 2026? Owen Harsono Counter-Strike is one of the longest-standing esports franchises, having built a loyal fanbase over the course of two decades. However, if you’ve browsed through social media platforms across the past few months, you might have seen people claiming that the game is dying or on a steady decline. Below we’ll take a look at why people are talking about this and answer the question of “is CS2 really dying?” One ...