Will CS2 come to PS5 or Xbox Series? What you should know

CS2 is close, but will PS5 and Xbox Series get to join in on the fun?

Counter-Strike fans may not realize that the series has a legacy on consoles. The original Counter-Strike got an original Xbox port back in 2003, and Global Offensive was playable on both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. With CS2 now on the horizon, some console players are wondering if they will get to join in on the tactical shooting action. Will CS2 come to Xbox Series or PS5? And if so, when?

Valve has not announced any plans to bring CS2 to either console platform. This is expected, as the game is still in its early public testing phases. However, there are a few reasons why console releases of the Source 2 shooter are unlikely.

The first is Valve’s recent shift away from console releases. The developer has drastically slowed down new game projects, and few titles are released tend to be PC-only. This makes sense, as Valve’s primary money maker is Steam. Dota Underlords is the company’s only project to breach the computer market, being available on mobile devices.

The second is the engine itself. Source 2 has never appeared on any platform other than PC. Shifting a PC-centered engine to consoles is difficult, especially for a game as feeling-based as Counter-Strike. While Riot Games’ Valorant may cut corners to reach console markets, CS2 shows no signs of doing so.

For those two reasons, it’s very likely that CS2 will not come out for either Xbox Series or PS5. There’s always the chance of a surprise announcement once the game comes out this summer, but don’t hold your breath.

Is CSGO available on PS4 and Xbox One?

CSGO is not available on PS4, but it’s still possible to play the Xbox 360 and One versions of the game online.

Counter-Strike: Global Offense got a complete release on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, with the latter even allowing players to connect a mouse and keyboard. Servers for the PS3 game are currently shuttered, but it’s still possible to play CSGO on the Xbox 360. Since the game is backward-compatible with Xbox One, it’s also possible to play CSGO on that console. In all cases, the games are stuck in their 2013 release versions with no skins, operations, agent cosmetics, and more.