If you ever hang out with an experienced CSGO player, you might find them a bit arrogant. But after spending thousands of hours playing Valve FPS, I can’t blame them. Mastering Counter-Strike is a grueling mission that requires blood, sweat, and tears. But now that Counter-Strike 2 is coming up, it looks like that might change for the better. Based on a limited CS2 test, the new version of the super cool shooter appears to be much more beginner friendly, and while that may be a bit boring at first, it’s actually a very, very good thing.
Gamers have always loved CSGO for its value, simplicity, and legacy in esports, but green gamers have always found it a bit intimidating. Those who dared to dive headfirst into CSGO quickly gave up as they rose through the ranks and the competition became real. On the other hand, CS2 has the potential to attract and retain FPS newbies, which is great for Valve’s business and esports.
With the exception of the last few months, when CS2 hype reached new heights, the maximum number of players in CSGO has remained relatively stable. The game hits 1.3 million, falls again, and then slowly rises again, never going above its previous high. In fact, the top ranks in CSGO are reserved exclusively for veterans who know the ins and outs of the game.
The steep learning curve ultimately prevents CSGO from attracting a large number of new and inexperienced players. Valve itself admits that CSGO takes minutes to understand and a lifetime to master, making it difficult for new players to stay in the game. However, with a beginner-focused approach, it’s likely that more players will stick with CS2 and improve over time. This will allow the iconic FPS to set new records and regain the title of the dominant shooter on PC.
The consequences of reducing the learning curve are small compared to the potential benefits. This will attract more players, stimulate exciting competition, and contribute to the overall growth of esports. Previously, the difficult shooting in CSGO was the main obstacle for the players. But CS2’s new features solve all the major problems that scare newcomers.
Is CS2 really suitable for beginners?
You don’t have to take my word for it: when you look at the new and improved features in CS2, it’s clear that the next version of Valve’s shooter is more beginner-friendly.
Valorant borrows the essence of CSGO, so in return, CS2 takes a page from Riot’s book: Sonic Radar. In the old days (before CS2), gamers had to invest in the best headset to avoid bugging and catching reload sounds, smoke beeps, and just about every twitter in the game Sound radar will allow players to move freely without having to hold a tin phone.
CS2 features a mini map ring that pulses to alert players how far away they can be heard. In CS, sound can make or break a game, and adding an on-screen assistant will help a lot.
Also, head hitboxes in CS2 have been increased by 4-20%, making head hits a thing of the past. Don’t ask me how many times I thought I was aiming for heads in CSGO and the bullets went right through. Combined with the tick rate changes, shooting is more fluid, allowing beginners to quickly adjust to shooting. You can see the headshot comparison in this image from Twitter user Ansimist:
Valve talked about the smokes in the trailer, but missed a big detail: the smokes on the CT and T side. Opponent utility can now be distinguished from teammate utility, allowing players to make fewer mistakes. Color markers are not required for experienced CSGO players to distinguish between smoke, but enabling them now helps beginners avoid mistakes.
Finally, follow Recoil, a new setting that will free players from the burden of learning spray patterns. This is by far the most beginner-friendly feature that alters Counter-Strike’s shooter gameplay. In CS2, beginners don’t have to follow a decade-long tradition of careful recoil control.
Instead, they have a visual aid in the form of a recoil tracker, an additional reticle that indicates where each bullet is pointing based on the recoil and splash of the weapon. Just follow the marker and voila you can kill. Of course, mastering recoil control in practice is still a crucial factor in playing to the next level, but you no longer need to learn all the intricacies of Counter-Strike recoil before you even get a chance to compete.
CS2’s new features may seem beginner-friendly, but don’t be fooled. The changes mainly affect the learning curve of the game, making it easier for new players to adapt. In CS2, Valve took a more hands-on approach. The benefits of CS2 are universal. New players can enjoy CS2 and level up, the game thrives with a larger player base, and seasoned veterans may have stronger competition. If Valve plays its cards right with the next version of the FPS, CS2 could really turn things around, not just for gamers, but for the company itself.
If you’re also new to FPS and want to dive into CS2, you can learn how to use Counter-Strike 2’s new reactive smoke grenades. You can also find out everything we know about the next Counter-Strike release date. let’s hope it arrives sooner rather than later.
Source : PC Gamesn
