Are you missing the good old features of CS:GO? From being able to switch hands to using special commands like ‘cl_cleardecals’ to remove blood and bullet holes, there are many things that CS2 is lacking, and thousands of players are demanding their return.
Unfortunately, it’s not likely they will introduce these and several other features back into the game, hence the best thing you can do is to learn how to switch between CS2 and CS:GO, so you can enjoy the best from both worlds. There are still a number of players in the Counter-Strike gaming community who are interested in continuing to play Counter-Strike: Global Offensive despite the release of this very impressive successor.
In this guide, we will show you how to switch to CS2 and CS:GO easily, so you can easily play your favorite version whenever you want. The question is, will you want too?
The Easiest Way to Switch Between CS2 and CS:GO at Will
The easiest way to switch between CS2 and CS:GO is to select which version you want to play when launching the game. As simple as that.
If you haven’t installed or updated to CS2 yet, then you need to do it first before being able to switch between CS2 and CS:GO.
For the majority of players, this method will work. However, if you still cannot select between CS2 and CS:GO when launching the game, then the following sections will teach you how to do it without problems.
How to Switch From CS:GO to CS2
If you are ready to renovate your CS experience, here’s how you can switch to CS2 in 5 easy steps:
- Launch Steam
- Find the CS:GO in your library
- Install the CS2 update
- The update will switch the game from CS:GO to CS2
- Enjoy!
This will make CS2 default, so every time you launch the game it will run CS2. In the next section, we will explain to you how to switch from CS2 to CS:GO again, so you can enjoy the best of both versions.
Why Switch to CS2?
So, why is this question actually being asked? Why are players still wanting to go back to the old game even after this highly impressive free upgrade?
The new version of CS offers you several advantages versus CS:GO:
- CS2 has better graphics than CS:GO
- CS2 brings you better visibility of enemies
- CS2 provides better smoke mechanics
- CS2 offers better hitreg (hint: more headshots!)
- CS2 runs at a lower framerate than CS:GO
Nostalgia, Familiarity and Comfort
Some people don’t like leaving their comfort zones… and lots of players have dedicated literally years to the game, perfecting their skills and strategies, mastering all the different maps, and getting used to all the various mechanics that defined the game. CS:GO has been a part of the gaming landscape seemingly forever – for well over a decade, and for many, it’s more than just a game – it’s a place of familiarity, comfort, and somewhere they can get a real sense of accomplishment, especially if they are up there with the very best players in the highest levels. Ultimately, switching over to CS2 might feel like they have to start over from scratch.
Then there are those players who have an emotional connection to the game – with memories and experiences that are all tied to that specific era of their gaming life. While there is no doubt that CS2 is definitely a new and improved version of the game, the feel of CS:GO is irreplaceable to some of those players who just want to enjoy the mechanics and features they grew up with.
Community Servers and Custom Gaming Modes
Throughout the many years it’s been around, CS has managed to build up a real community-driven ecosystem that is full of various custom servers and game modes – like surfing, bhop, jailbreak, and all sorts. Although more and more of these game modes are being added to CS2, right now, the massive library of content that has been created by the CS:GO community is still much more plentiful than that in CS2. So, if you’re a player who loves unique modes like Zombie Escape, KZ Climbing, or the host of various other modded servers, the call of CS:GO is still irresistible.
Although there’s no doubt that CS2 will keep on updating and growing its custom game scene, the groundwork that has been laid by CS is huge, and it will probably take a long time before CS2 can even try to match the variety of custom content that CS:GO offers.
Some Players Still Have Older Hardware
Not all players have the resources to equip themselves with high-end gaming PCs and equipment. While CS2 has upgraded its graphics and runs on the more demanding Source 2 engine, CS:GO is a game that runs more efficiently on a wider range of hardware, so it’s still the better option if you’re a player that has a less powerful computer. If you’re not in the position to upgrade your setup right now – or you just prefer the performance of CS on your older hardware, you might find that you want to stick with it for a bit longer yet.
Competition and Playing Style
If you consider yourself a competitive player, you may well find that there’s a bit of a learning curve with CS2 – its physics, movement, and even its shooting mechanics. Although CS2 comes with the advantage of better visuals, there are some elements of its gameplay – such as hit registration, recoil, and utility usage, that feel a lot different to the CS:GO game.
Those players who prefer CS: GO’s more refined mechanics may well want to carry on competing in the CS:GO leagues and matchmaking system until they get a bit more comfortable with the upgraded CS2.
Then, of course, there are professional and semi-professional players who still view the older version of the game as the very pinnacle of competitive FPS games. Some devotees of the game think that it has a balance, along with years of community refinement, that gives it a level of competitive integrity that will take time for CS2 to reach.
The Main Differences Between CS:GO and CS2
If you haven’t yet ventured over to the world of CS2… and you’re not sure how it will differ from the game that you know and love, let’s take a look at what you can expect.
Even Better Graphics and Visuals
The new CS2 runs on the new Source 2 engine, which basically means a massive upgrade in terms of the game’s graphics, lighting, and overall detail. The maps have also been completely overhauled so they now look even more realistic, having dynamic lighting and better textures. If you compare it to CS:GO, you’ll definitely notice that the older game looks a lot more dated.
The Hit Registration and Tick Rates
One of the biggest improvements that comes with CS2 is the introduction of sub-tick rates. Instead of relying on the basic 64-tick or 128-tick servers, CS2 is able to process actions like shooting and moving based on sub-tick timing, which, theoretically, should offer an even more precise hit registration and, thus, a much smoother overall gaming experience. CSGO, on the other hand, is stuck with a tick-based system.
Game Physics and Movement
CS2 has also introduced a few subtle changes to movement and physics, which can make it all feel a bit different to play, especially for veteran CS players. Although the core mechanics of strafing and shooting are still pretty much the same, some of the older players have brought up the issue that movement in the new game feels a bit different because of the changes in how the Source 2 engine deals with how players move and collide.
Utility and Smoke Grenades
A massive change in CS2 gameplay is how they have reworked smoke grenades. In the new version, smokes are a lot more dynamic – and even more realistic in terms of how they fill spaces and temporarily disperse whenever a grenade or bullet interacts with them. This change can massively impact the utility usage in the game – in comparison, the smoke mechanics in CS:GO are a lot more predictable.
Sound and Audio
The audio has also had an upgrade. The background and environmental sounds are more realistic and immersive, which makes it easier to pinpoint the location of your enemies. CS:GO sounds are good… but not that good!
If you want to enjoy these benefits, then all you need to do is to switch to CS2 from CS:GO, and now you know how to do it.
How to Switch From CS2 to CS:GO
If you want to learn how to go back to CSGO from CS2, you only need to follow this short step-by-step tutorial:
- Launch Steam
- Find the CS2 in your library
- Right click on the CS icon and click on “Properties”
- Click on “Betas”
- Select csgo_demo_viewer
- Close the properties
- Congrats, you’ve successfully switched from CS2 to CS:GO
After doing this, you will be able to play CS:GO like before without restrictions. All the exclusive features such as specific commands, switching hands and just playing the good old CS:GO will be at your disposal.
Why Switch to CS:GO?
If you are wondering when it’s a good idea to switch back to CS:GO, here you have the list of advantages:
- CS:GO supports commands that aren’t available on CS2
- CS:GO supports switching hands
- CS:GO allows you to stop weapon movement
- CS:GO supports net_graph whereas CS2 doesn’t
If you want to enjoy these exclusive advantages, now you can do it by switching from CS2 to CS:GO.
Is It Possible to Play CS:GO Without Updating to CS2?
If you are wondering how to play CSGO without updating CS2, and if it’s even possible, the answer is yes, you can play CS:GO without ever updating to CS2. However, the method to accomplish it is tricky – here’s how you can do it:
- Get yourself another CS:GO account that hasn’t been hit with the CS2 update
- Log out of your CS2 account once you spot the play button
- Drop your internet connection to dodge the update
- Jump into the alternate account you want to use
- Launch CS:GO from your Steam library
- Reconnect to the internet after launching CS:GO to stay connected
Now you can enjoy the good old CS:GO without having to update to CS2.
However, we recommend you to follow the first two methods, so you can enjoy the benefits of CS2 and CS:GO whenever you wish.
Furthermore, we don’t know how long this method will last, so better be ready for switching from CS:GO to CS2 and viceversa via the traditional method: Steam > Properties > Betas.
Playing Offline or on LAN
Another way you can keep on enjoying CS:GO is by playing the game in offline mode or via LAN. This is a great option for anyone who wants to keep on playing with friends or bots, practise their skills, or just enjoy the custom game modes without needing online servers. It’s also really easy to do:
How to Play CS:GO Offline:
So, let’s look at how this is done…
- Step 1: Launch CSLegacy (using the steps that we went through above).
- Step 2: When you get to the main menu, click on Play and choose Offline with Bots.
- Step 3: You should now be able to play all your favorite classic CS:GO maps, as well as modify bot difficulty, and practise various movement and utility throws.
For LAN play, CSLegacy still supports the same local network setup that the original CS had, so you are still able to host and join servers over a LAN.
Accessing Community Servers
Community servers have always been a massive part of the Counter-Strike ecosystem – and you can still access the same servers in CSLegacy. Having said that, you’ll find that the server population is a lot smaller, with more and more players transferring over to CS2. However, some of the most popular CS servers are likely to keep on operating for anyone who doesn’t want to leave the original game behind.
How to Join a Community Server:
- Step 1: Launch CSLegacy.
- Step 2: Choose ‘Find a Game’ from the main menu.
- Step 3: Click on the Community Server Browser to find any servers that are still hosting CS:GO game modes.
- Step 4: You can use the filters to find the specific game modes or community maps you’re looking for – like surfing or bhop.
Why You Should Make the Shift to CS2
If you’re someone who’s still reluctant to make that move, there are several reasons why you really should be considering it.
Although technically, you can still play CS:GO – even after the release of CS2, the reality of the situation is that there aren’t any official servers or matchmaking services available for Global Offensive anymore. So, although you can play private matches against bots and friends, maybe you won’t actually be able to play properly against other players like you can in CS2. The sad fact of the matter is that for both the servers and the players, it’s all shifted over to CS2, and there’s no going back.
On the positive side, you still get to explore all the old maps in their original form and can enjoy the nostalgia that they bring as you attempt to make that transition to the new world.
Conclusion
As you can see, it is very easy to switch between CS2 and CS:GO at will. Be it selecting your preferred version when launching the game, or selecting it manually via the Steam > Properties > Betas method, now you can enjoy the advantages of both versions whenever you wish.
How to Play CS:GO FAQs
What are the Main Differences between CS2 and CS:GO?
Basically, the new CS2 game runs on the Source 2 engine, which means you get even better graphics, physics, and lighting. It has also introduced updated smoke mechanics, an even more realistic sound design, and better weapon accuracy. CS:GO still uses the older Source engine which makes it less advanced than the newer game.
Can I Still Play CS:GO Ever After the Release of CS2?
Yes… sort of. While you can still technically access the game, there aren’t any official servers or matchmaking options available anymore, so you can only play private matches against friends or against bots. These days, most players and servers have moved over to CS2.
Are the Maps the Same in CS2?
Lots of the maps from CS have made the move over to CS2, but they look even better, thanks to technical improvements. Some have just undergone a few little tweaks, while there are some others, like Dust 2, that have had whole new elements added, like crates, that actually affect how you play the map.
Is CS2 Free to Play?
Yes, CS2 is also free to play and basically follows the same model as CS. As normal, you can play the game for free, but you have the option to make in-game purchases – such as skins and various other items.