CS2 vs CS:GO: what changed for skin owners and traders

Counter-Strike 2 runs on the Source 2 engine instead of CS:GO's, and most of what changed lands in two places: how your skins look and how matches play. Here is the short version, starting with what matters to skin owners and traders.

The changes at a glance

Engine. Source 2 replaces CS:GO's engine, with new lighting and materials.
Weapons and skins. Stock weapons get higher-resolution models and skins are updated.
Loadout. You pick your weapons from three categories.
Ranking. CS Rating arrives with Premier mode.
Competitive. Matches use MR12, with at most 24 rounds.
Netcode. Sub-tick replaces the 64-tick design.
Gameplay. Smokes respond to the game, grenades can be inspected and the buy menu is new.

Skins look different on Source 2

Source 2 brings a new lighting system and new materials. Valve also gave every stock weapon a higher-resolution model, and it updated the skins on top. Your existing skins are still there, but they look different, and the higher-resolution models make them look sharper.

Knives got a particularly big upgrade. The Ursus Knife | Marble Fade is a good example of an old favourite reworked in fine detail. The C4 bomb also got a makeover and looks sharper.

For traders, the takeaway is simple. A skin you remember from CS:GO can look different in CS2, so look at an item in the new engine before you pay for it.

A new loadout system

The new loadout system lets you choose which guns you bring into a match, and you can set it to your own preference. Your arsenal is split into three categories: pistols, mid-range weapons and rifles. You are no longer tied to specific weapons for each side.

A Counter-Terrorist can carry both the M4A1-S and the M4A4, and the R8 Revolver can sit next to the Desert Eagle. If you own skins for both weapons in a pair, both can now be in your loadout.

Premier mode and CS Rating

CS2 adds a numerical player metric called CS Rating. You earn it in Premier mode, and it places you on global and regional leaderboards. It is based on how you play, not only on whether you win.

Competitive matches are shorter

Competitive mode now uses the MR12 format. A match has at most 24 rounds, and the first team to win 13 takes it. The pace picks up, and every round carries more weight. If the score is tied after 24 rounds, the match goes to overtime.

Sub-tick replaces the 64-tick design

CS2 uses a new sub-tick system. It keeps the 64-tick rate and adds sub-ticks in between, so movement and shot timings are tracked more precisely than in CS:GO's 64-tick netcode. Peeking, jumping and shooting respond faster. The trade-off is that flicks are a little harder to do.

What else Source 2 changes

Physics. Weapon recoil and thrown grenades behave more realistically.
Lighting and visuals. Shadows are more dynamic, textures are more lifelike and environments are more believable.
Tools. Source 2 includes tools for creating custom maps and modes.

Updated maps

Valve sorted its map updates into three groups. Touchstone maps get minor tweaks. Upgrade maps get new lighting, materials and reflections. Overhaul maps are rebuilt from scratch.

Popular maps such as Dust 2 and Mirage look sharper under Source 2. Props also show the passage of time, such as the modern sinks that replace the basic ones in Overpass.

Smokes and grenades

Smokes are no longer a flat grey fog. They are volumetric and respond to what happens around them:

A smoke forms around the area where it lands.
Shooting into it carves out that spot and makes the player on the other side visible.
An HE grenade that explodes next to it clears it for a few seconds.
It can expand into the surrounding area.

You can also inspect your smoke, flash, HE and decoy grenades up close. Hold a Molotov and the liquid inside shifts as you move it. HE grenades, Molotov flames and the C4 explosion also look more dramatic than before.

A grid replaces CS:GO's wheel menu. If you buy the wrong gun or grenade, a revert button next to the item sells it back. Indicators also show what your teammates are carrying, which makes it easier to coordinate purchases.

Minimap and audio

A ring around your character on the minimap shows how far your sounds carry. It grows with the noise, so sprinting makes a bigger ring than walking, and you can use it to judge how loud you are being.

Audio was reworked too. CS:GO already had HRTF spatial audio, and CS2 is meant to improve 3D audio further. Every weapon sounds slightly or significantly different, guns sound more defined, and there are new radio announcements. Valve also rebalanced the mix so it is more comfortable to listen to.

Smaller changes

Legs. You can see your own character's legs, so you no longer feel like you are floating. It also gives a better sense of where your character is. Jumping onto boxes and bunny hopping feel a little different.
Crosshair. It can move with weapon recoil, which shows newcomers the recoil pattern. Veterans used to a static crosshair may find it a new challenge, and you can switch it off in the settings.
Blood. Blood splatter is more graphic.
Bots. Bots are smarter, so practice matches are more challenging.

Where to go next

If you are deciding where to buy or sell skins after the move, our guides compare sites to buy CS2 skins and sites to sell them.

CS2 vs CS:GO: what changed and what it means for your skins