It’s estimated that roughly 65% of Americans regularly play video games. Considering the massive diverse selection of games these days, this shouldn’t come as a big surprise to anyone.
There is truly a game for everyone out there. However, if you are into competitive first-person shooters one game has reigned supreme for more than a decade: Counter Strike Global Offensive.
These days, CS:GO is heavily associated with PCs. However, many console players are asking themselves, Is Counter Strike Global Offensive on PS4?
The answer to this question is more complicated than you might think. That’s why we made this guide to provide you with all the information you need when it comes to CSGO on PS4.
What Is Counter-Strike Global Offensive?
Before we begin it’s important to first understand exactly what CS:GO is. Counter Strike Global Offensive is a tactical FPS (first-person shooter) that was first released in 2012.
In these types of video games, there are two teams: terrorists and counter-terrorists. There are multiple game modes, but the most popular one involves terrorists planting a bomb while counter-terrorists try to stop them.
The fluid gameplay is one of the reasons why this game continues to have such a devoted following. That and the fact that it remains an active title in the international eSports community.
Can You Get Counter Strike Global Offensive on PS4?
Unfortunately no, you cannot currently play Counter Strike Global Offensive on PS4. When the game was first released in 2012, it only came out on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, OS X, and Windows.
However, these days the game is typically played exclusively on PC. Over the years there have been numerous rumors that CS:GO might come to either PS4 or PS5.
All of these rumors have been unconfirmed. And, as we’ll see, there are a lot of valid reasons why the game will never get an official PS4 release.
Why Isn’t Counter Strike Global Offensive on PS4?
The first reason why Counter Strike Global Offensive has to do with the lack of compatibility. Over the years, Sony has been notoriously bad with supporting crossplay between consoles and PCs.
While some PS4 titles support crossplay, CS:GO is not among them. As such, if Counter Strike Global Offensive did come to the PS4, it would mean that players could only play with other PS4 players.
And, since the vast majority of CS:GO players are on PC, there likely wouldn’t be enough of a player base to support them. Next, the current version of Counter Strike Global Offensive takes up a lot of storage space.
As such, most PS4s without an external hard drive wouldn’t have enough space to support the game. And, since Sony is still in the process of transitioning to an entirely PS5 library, it wouldn’t be viable for them to release it as one of the PS4 games.
Lastly, the PC version of CS:GO recently transitioned to a free-to-play model. As such, it doesn’t make a lot of sense from a developer’s perspective to fund a PlayStation console version.
This is especially true when you consider the fact that the PS3 version of the game sold quite badly.
Workarounds for Playing Counter Strike Global Offensive on PS4
We mentioned that there’s no official way to play Counter Strike Global Offensive on PS4. However, there are some workarounds that you can take advantage of. One thing you can do is download the game on your PC.
Since it’s now free-to-play, you won’t need to pay for a copy. Then, using remote play, you can stream the game from your PC onto your PS4.
CS:GO is also available on Xbox One thanks to the expanding Microsoft Store. As such, you can purchase the game on Xbox, then remote play on the PS4.
Should You Play Counter Strike Global Offensive on PS3?
Since Counter Strike Global Offensive was released on PS3 and Xbox 360, you might be wondering if these are still valid gaming options. If you have one of these consoles but lack a PC, it might seem enticing.
However, you should avoid purchasing the game on PS3. Why? Because even when these games were released on the consoles, they weren’t properly supported.
That means that you won’t be able to play the games online with any other PC player. On top of that, it’s been over a decade since the game’s release.
During this time neither of the console versions received updates. That means both the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 versions have poor graphics and game performance.
That’s part of the reason why these versions received such bad reviews when they were released.
Why You Should Consider Playing CS:GO on PC Instead
As you can see, the future doesn’t look good for any new console versions of Counter Strike Global Offensive. However, if you’re itching to play the game, there’s still hope for you.
The CS:GO community is still quite active on PC. In this section, we’ll go over some of the reasons why you should play the game on this platform instead of PlayStation.
1. Improved Graphics
When Counter Strike Global Offensive first came out it was limited by the technology at the time. It featured a lot of dull, gray color palettes with blurry animations.
On the PC, developers have worked hard to bring these CS:GO graphics into the twenty-first century. The colors are brighter and the surrounding scenery looks brighter.
Plus, the game now uses that fantastic Source engine that helps keep games like Half-Life 2 looking great. So not only does the game look exceptional when you play it on PC, but it also runs like a workhorse.
Sure, it might not compare graphics-wise to some of the recent titles coming out. But for a game that’s over a decade old, it’s never looked better.
2. New Skins and Weapons
One way the developers kept Counter Strike Global Offensive fresh is through the introduction of new skins and weapons. You can take advantage of these new features by purchasing CS:GO cases.
While these cases do cost money, they’re much more affordable than some of the other skins currently being offered by other games. Plus, when you consider the fact that Counter-Strike is now free, it makes sense that they would monetize it in some way.
The best part is these cases are just for show. They contain exotic versions of weapons that can customize the way you play the game.
3. New Game Modes and Maps
The traditional bomb and hostage game modes in Counter Strike Global Offensive remain mainstays in the community. However, to keep the game fresh and relevant, the developers added a recent game mode called Danger Zone.
This is a Battle Royale-style game mode that’s designed to compete with the popularity of PUBG and Fortnite. In terms of Battle Royale, Danger Zone certainly doesn’t rework the wheel.
However, when it comes to Battle Royale, if it’s not broken don’t fix it. And when you combine this classic game style with the flawless mechanics at CS:GO is known for, it’s worth your time to give it a try.
When you play on PC you also get access to all sixteen maps that CS:GO has added over the years. That being said, some maps remain more popular than others, so you might not play all of them.
4. Competitive Environment
As we mentioned at the start of the article, Counter Strike Global Offensive remains a popular title in the eSports community. It’s estimated that the eSports industry is worth at least $1 billion.
Now, you might not be looking into CS:GO to take advantage of large cash prizes from eSport events. However, most people who still want to play are looking to compete with other top players.
Sadly, you won’t find this competitive environment on console versions. Currently, the PC is the only place you can play with other flesh and blood players.
Even if you do get the console version up and running, you’ll need to play offline. And as anyone who’s played CS:GO offline knows, this can get quite boring very quickly.
When you play on PC you get to take advantage of the Counter-Strike community that’s still going strong.
5. It’s Free
As we mentioned, Valve recently transitioned CS:GO to a free-to-play model. That means to play Counter Strike on your PC you don’t even need to spend $15.
All you need to do is download it and get started. That being said, it’s worth it to invest in some of the crates if you want to have an edge over other players.
Appreciate Learning About CS:GO? Keep Exploring
We hope this guide helped you answer the question, Is Counter Strike Global Offensive on PS4? Sadly, it’s not likely that an official version of the game will ever be available on the console.
So if playing CS:GO is important to you, we recommend investing in a good PC setup to take advantage of everything the game has to offer.
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