The arrival of Counter-Strike 2 esports promises to be the biggest moment in the series’ history. It ushers in a new era of competitive gaming, that will drag the game to even greater heights. With the swan song of CS:GO esports currently underway, we wanted to take a look at how the new game will affect the competitive scene.
Teaching Old Dogs New Tricks
The most exciting consideration about Counter-Strike 2 esports is how it will affect the old guard. Right now, someone like karrigan is defying Father Time by continuing to perform at an elite level at 33. So how is Counter-Strike 2 different? There will be a whole new book of tricks to learn, and understandably getting to grips with an entirely new meta is something that some just won’t fancy. We’re thinking about players like FalleN or apEX – those who have dedicated well over a decade to competing in CS:GO esports and beyond. No one could blame them for wanting a new challenge outside of the server.
A new challenge for FalleN? Credit: Stephanie Lindgren
For some, the arrival of Counter-Strike 2 esports will have the opposite effect. Some of the older players on these CS:GO pro teams are born competitors, and won’t give it up until long after they should have.
It’s the unpredictability that’s so exciting. The new meta might suit some older players more than others too, and could even see a resurgence in their game. Nothing is for certain, but we think this could apply to someone like coldzera. Still competing at a good level, but just needs that extra Ace up his sleeve to get back to his old level.
New Kings on Top
The potential the CS2 updates can bring for the meta of Counter-Strike 2 esports is incredible. The arrival of volumetric smoke grenades that can be seen through when shot or blown away will surely introduce a new layer to the game. This means that the days of one-ways are over, and players must find new tricks to add to their arsenal.
m0NESY could reap the benefits of Counter-Strike 2 esports. Credit: Michał Konkol | © ESL
The real question will come down to who finds these tricks first. At the moment, CS:GO pro teams will often hide their new strats before big events, unveiling them on the big stage. If a smaller team discovers a new way to play that beats everything we have at the moment, it could put some new Kings on top of the Counter-Strike scene.
Things could definitely get weird on the server for a while. We might see the already-closing gap between Tier 1 and Tier 2 teams tighten even further. Some will rise swiftly, while others will drop off a cliff. There’s just so much in play that will affect the standing of every team, and we have a few candidates who we think will benefit.
Winners, Young and Old
We think the biggest beneficiary of Counter-Strike 2 esports on an individual level will be m0NESY. The kid knows every trick in the book. Sure, some of his current go-to moves will be taken out, but who cares? He’s shown that no one in CS:GO esports is better than him at finding new stunts to perform on the server. He’ll just do it again.
In terms of teams, we think Astralis will see massive rewards from Counter-Strike 2 esports. IGL gla1ve has looked stale and devoid of ideas for a little while now, but we think this change could bring out the very best in the giga-brained IGL, who has broken so many CS:GO Major records. In Altekz and Buzz, he has two great young talents who he can mold to bring his new ideas to life, too.
Valve Support?
It’s no secret that many CS:GO pro teams are cash-broke, even at the very top of the game. It’s a result of many things, all pointing to unsustainability within the scene. Importantly, Valve has done little to stem this bleeding despite making tens of millions of dollars from CS:GO cases each month.
This could be wishful thinking, but we think that some more official financial support from Valve could come to Counter-Strike 2 esports. We’re not saying Valve should directly pay their wages or anything, but doing more to invest in the scene beyond the Major prize pools and sticker money could be on the cards. Hopefully the studio sees that so much of the game’s recent growth can be attributed to the CS:GO esports scene. When the competitive scene is healthy, the game is healthy.
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