Valve has officially announced an upgrade to CS:GO, Counter-Strike 2, which brings a significant redesign of maps with lightning, smoke, and such enhancements. It comes after two decades, where it offers a similar experience to CS:GO and with the underlying Source 2 video game engine that will be offering realistic, physically-based rendering.
While upgrading, all your existing inventory will be moved to CS2, and the upgrade will be available for free, so there will be no additional purchases. With every new game, realize that there are a lot of performance issues, including shuttering and lagging, even after an update. This is normal; there are a lot of different combinations of hardware, and it takes some time to make the game stable for most players.
If you have also encountered any issues with Counter-Strike 2, then with these troubleshooting guides, you may fix some of the issues accordingly. Before proceeding, we need to ensure that your PC is compatible with COunter-Strike 2 to play the game. Also, for some, the game failed to launch or had non-loading issues, which is quite common among Steam users.
Counter-Strike 2 System Requirements
Here are the Counter-Strike 2 system requirements to experience the game as it is expected to run.
| Requirements | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Requires | 64-Bit processor, and OS |
| OS | Windows 10 |
| Processor | 4 hardware CPU threads – Intel® Core™ i5 750 or higher |
| Memory | 8GB RAM |
| Graphics | Video card must be 1 GB or more and should be a DirectX 11-compatible with support for Shader Model 5.0 |
| DirectX | v11 |
| Network | Broadband Internet connection |
| Free Disk Space | 85GB Available Space |
It is also recommended to place the storage and RAM in the slots properly. Additionally, try unplugging the HDD/SSD RAM accordingly if you encounter issues with launching the game on the loading screen, and check if it gets fixed.
This is also crucial to understanding the game, which demands a certain level of hardware performance to deliver the best performance, especially with PCs. The game is quite heavy, and it is also said that only some systems can handle the game at maximum resolution or optimal performance.
Fix the Counter-Strike 2 Troubleshooting Guide
Before proceeding, it is always recommended for users to follow these steps if they encounter the same issue.
- If you have not updated your game to the latest version, then try updating your game to the latest version.
- Do use the Launch Option, which you can launch from the Client option, but you can also enter -launch to force the engine to start the game in fullscreen mode.
- Reduce display scaling from the GPU Control Panel.
- Enable game mode on Windows.
- Set texture quality to performance in the GPU Control Panel.
- Set the Power Option to Max Performance in the GPU Control Panel.
Most of the issues often occur due to incorrect PC configurations, which can make Counter-Strike 2 incompatible with the game.
- Login issue.
- Startup and Not LoadingBlack Screen: If you are facing a black screen issue or issues like not exiting, it can cause players to get stuck on a black screen after launching the game. This can also result in no sound, and players must quit the game.
- Crashing: If your game is crashing or not loading on PS5 or Xbox One Series X consoles, it could be due to firmware issues, incorrect settings, or corrupted game data.
- Missing or corrupted game files
- Outdated game version
- DirectX issue
- Overlay app issue
- High in-game graphics, low FPS drop: Various factors could cause frame drops.
- Bottleneck: It might also be possible that you have reached your GPU usage, which should be around 95–100% in AAA games but 80–90% in demanding games. To check, use the Bottleneck Calculator to check your CPU bottleneck.
- Payday 84 low GPU usage: You can fix your low GPU usage, which is annoying as it causes low FPS and GPU usage. Download the latest driver. You can use Driver Booster or your preferred way of installing new updates.
- Set your graphics settings to your preferred executable files in performance mode.
- Change power management to either performance, consistency, or NVIDIA preference from the NVIDIA Control Panel.
- Counter-Strike 2 is not working on the Nintendo Switch. There is a high chance that the game has some bugs or issues that need to be fixed by the developers. This could be caused by temporary system glitches, corrupted or outdated games, cache data issues with memory, corrupted or missing game data, low storage space, or other factors that trigger crashes.
- Stuttering, lags, or freezing: Such configuration is required to run the game in full resolution and at a higher FPS. Despite being relatively common for PC titles, this can be performance-hungry.
- The Counter-Strike 2 sound is not working, or the audio is cutting out. If the audio is not working during a gaming session, it could be due to trouble with in-game sound, outdated drivers, or other issues.
Here are some potential reasons for Counter-Strike 2 issues, especially not loading at startup, as it keeps crashing or not launching.
Before proceeding, it is recommended to start observing your system’s behavior through the task manager, memory usage, CPU usage, RAM, and temperatures, and then proceed accordingly.
Uninstall or rollback the Windows Update
If you have recently updated your Windows to the latest update, the latest update may be causing Counter-Strike 2 performance issues.
- Open Windows Settings (Windows + I).
- Uninstall Windows Update: Click on Windows Update, and then go to Uninstall Updates.
- Rollback Windows Update: Click on Update, Security, and Recovery from the left sidebar.
- There, you will find the option to go back to the previous version of Windows and then click on Get Started.
Note: The rollback Windows update is only available for ten days after the update because the backup of the previous Windows installation remains in the backup. Also, some updates cannot be uninstalled.
Disable Counter-Strike 2 Fullscreen Optimisation
This takes up the whole screen and allows Windows to optimize the applications and games to take up the whole screen.
- Open Windows Settings, and then click on the Gaming option.
- From there, it will prompt you with the Windows title bar.
- Uncheck the checkbox for the “Show game bar when I play full-screen games Microsoft has verified.”
It is enabled by default for most apps, but with this guide, it is disabled for all. Here is a guide to deactivating it specifically for Counter-Strike 2.
- Go to the installed directory of Counter-Strike 2.
- Right-click on the Counter-Strike 2.exe file and click on Properties.
- In the Properties dialogue box, go to Compatibility and uncheck the checkbox for the Enable Fullscreen Optimisation toggle.
- Click on Apply and then OK to save the changes.
It affects optimization, which can cause FPS drops. It was created to provide players with a better gaming experience.
Counter-Strike 2: Login Error
Users must create a Nebula Starbreeze account to fully immerse themselves in the game. You must also grant access to serve as your portal for embracing cross-platform gaming and enhancing your gaming experience. Nebula connections are quite common; this can occur for various reasons.
If you encounter the Nebula Login error, it is most likely due to server overload. Try refreshing your browser. It will attempt to connect to the server. If you continue to encounter the login error, try again after some time.
- First, check the server status before checking your network. Generally, this issue occurs due to maintenance, emergency outages, or other issues.
- Community Report: Check out the Counter-Strike 2 gaming community. You can also check Reddit or DownDetector to see if other players are experiencing the issue.
- Re-login to your Nebula account: Try logging into your Nebula account within the game after establishing the connection.
Run Counter-Strike 2 as an administrator.
To avoid account controls, you must run it as an administrator and make it permanent. Players are always advised to run the Steam Client as an admin on a PC.
- Go to the installed directory of Counter-Strike 2, then right-click the Counter-Strike 2.exe file.
- Open the Properties and go to the Compatibility tab.
- Check the checkbox for “Run this programme as an administrator.”.
- Click on Apply, and then select OK to save the changes.
Update Graphics Drivers
Drivers help boost your PC’s performance; if they are already installed, you must update to the latest version.
- To simplify it, press Windows + X, then click Device Manager.
- Next, expand the display adapter by double-clicking on it and right-clicking on your GPU.
- Click “Update driver” to start searching for the GPU driver.
- If an update is available, download it and install it. It will also require a restart to apply the changes successfully.
Note: Before proceeding, you should try updating your graphics driver to the latest update, as NVIDIA has recently pushed to make the game compatible with the game.
You can update your sound driver if you are also facing audio issues.
- Update the driver from the same Device Manager by choosing the audio device.
- After that, search for the driver automatically; if an update is available, download and install it.
- Once finished, restart your computer to apply the changes.
Update the Counter-Strike 2 game.
It depends on updating Counter-Strike 2. Check for the update and then install it.
Check for updates on Steam.
- Open Steam and go to the library. From the list of installed games on the left pane, click on Counter-Strike 2.
- It will start checking for updates automatically. If an update is available, click on the Update option and wait for the update process to complete.
- Once the update is finished, quit the Steam client and reboot your PC to apply the changes.
Check for updates on the Epic Game Launcher.
- Launch Epic Game Launcher and go to the library.
- Select the triple-dot menu in Counter-Strike 2 and choose Auto Update to ensure it is enabled.
Xbox
- Press the Xbox button on the controllers, choose My Game & App, and then select All.
- Choose Manage, and if an update is available, it will automatically start downloading and installing the new patch.
PlayStation
- Head to the library and choose the game you want to update.
- Press the Option button on the controller, then select Check for Update. If an update is available, follow the on-screen instructions to install it.
Nintendo
- Open the Home screen, select Counter-Strike 2, press the plus button, and choose Software Update from the drop-down menu.
- Click on “Using the Internet as a source,” and it will start the update process. A reboot may be required.
Check RAM, GPU, and CPU usage.
If you are experiencing slow computer issues, here is how you can check your hardware usage.
- Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
- Go to the Process tab and choose tasks such as Counter-Strike 2 or any other task consuming many resources.
- Select the task and close the specific app by right-clicking on the task and clicking on End task.
- Then, restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
After closing the background and running tasks, set the game as a high priority.
- From the taskbar, right-click on the game in the Processes tab.
- Select Set Priority to High, and then close the Task Manager.
Verify game files and repair them.
By verifying the integrity of the game, you can check the files on your computer to ensure they are not damaged or corrupted.
Steam
- Open Steam and go to the library.
- Right-click on the Counter-Strike 2 game and click on Properties.
- Go to the Local Files tab and click Verify game file integrity. This process will verify and check the installed game to determine if any missing or corrupted files are located.
- It may take some time. Once it finishes, reopen Steam and try relaunching the game.
Epic Game Launcher
- Open the Epic Game Launcher and go to the Game Library.
- Choose Counter-Strike 2, then select Settings and click on Verify. This will start the verification process.
- Close the Launcher and then restart your PC to apply the changes.
Nintendo
- Open the menu and choose System Settings from the drop-down menu. Select data management.
- Choose Software from the drop-down menu, and then select Counter-Strike 2.
- After that, choose Look for Data Error and wait for it to finish. Then, reboot the Switch console to apply the changes.
Reset Console
This will wipe all users’ data and factory reset your console.
PlayStation
- Open the PlayStation Settings menu, select the Initialization tab, and choose Initialise PS5.
- After that, from the prompt, choose Full, which will automatically start wiping itself to restore factory defaults.
- It may take some time. Once it finishes, reboot your system.
Xbox
- Press the Xbox button, then from the controller guide menu, choose Profile & System.
- Head over to Settings, then choose System. Go to Console Info and reset the console.
- Then, it will ask you to reset your console and select Reset and Remove Everything. You can also choose to reset and keep your games and apps.
- After that, with the selected option, it will start deleting and resetting the system to factory default settings.
- Wait for some time to finish the console.
Disable third-party overlay apps.
Overlays are interactive widgets or statistical information. You can improve performance by turning off in-game overlays, especially for low- to mid-end PCs. For Steam, follow this guide:
Steam
- Open Steam, then go to the library—right-click on Counter-Strike 2.
- Choose Properties, then head to the General section and uncheck the checkbox for Enable Steam Overlay.
- Return to the library to relaunch Counter-Strike 2 and fix the issues.
If there are any other third-party applications with overlays enabled, disable them as well.
Discord Overlay
- Open Discord, then click on the settings icon at the bottom right.
- Next, click “Overlay” under “App Settings” and enable the in-game overlay.
- Afterward, go to the “Game” tab, choose Counter-Strike 2 to turn off the in-game overlay toggle, and restart your PC.
Xbox Game Bar
- Open Windows Settings, then go to “Gaming.”.
- From there, click on “Game Bar” and toggle off the “Record Game Clip,” “Screenshots,” and “Broadcast using Game Bar” options.
Nvidia GeForce Experience
- Open the Nvidia GeForce Experience, then go to “Settings.”
- Choose the “General” tab, then turn off the “In-game Overlay” option.
- Restart your PC to apply the changes, and then try relaunching the game.
Check for updates.
To update your Windows to the latest version, sometimes bugs need to be fixed, or stability issues need to be addressed. If you have any pending Windows updates, install the Windows 11 update.
Windows
- Open Windows Settings by pressing Windows + I.
- Go to Update & Security, then click Check for Updates under the Windows Update section.
- If there are any available Windows updates, download and install them.
- Please wait for the updates to be installed, prompting you to restart your computer.
PlayStation
- Open Settings, then go to System Software Update.
- Check for updates; if an update is available, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the update.
- Once the update is finished, reboot the system to apply the changes successfully.
Xbox
- Press the Home button on the Xbox to open the Dashboard menu.
- Then go to Settings and select All Settings. Now choose System, and then select Updates.
- If an update is available, select Update Console to follow the on-screen instructions to finish the installation, then restart.
Nintendo
- Before proceeding, ensure that there is enough battery charge. Go to the Home Menu, then select System Settings.
- Then scroll down to select system and choose System Update.
- After that, select System Update and perform a check to determine if an update is available. Then download and install it to finish successfully.
Disable Mouse Acceleration
- Search for mouse settings, and then change mouse settings.
- Next, go to Additional Mouse Options and choose the Pointer option tab.
- Uncheck the checkbox for Enhanced Pointer Precision.
- Then, save and apply the changes.
Disable Steam Input
If you are still encountering issues like the game not launching or getting stuck:
- Launch the Steam client and go to the library.
- Right-click on the game, click Controllers, and set “Override for Moral Kombat 1” to “Disable Steam Input”.
- Then, relaunch the game.
Use a dedicated GPU instead of an integrated
NVIDIA
- Please right-click on the desktop to open the context menu, and then click on the NVIDIA Control Panel to open it.
- Next, head to 3D Settings and choose Manage 3D Settings to open the Programm Settings tab.
- After that, choose Counter-Strike 2 from the drop-down menu, and then choose Preferred Graphics Processor for this game from the drop-down menu. Choose the NVIDIA GPU to show as the high-performance NVIDIA processor. Save the changes and reboot your PC.
Best Settings for CS2 to Get Optimal Graphics
You can use these settings to get the best out of graphics settings, and also helps to increase FPS counts.
| Video Settings | Settings | Settings | Comp Preset (Mid to High-end PCs) | Maximum FPS Preset (Low-end PCs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aspect Ratio | Widescreen 16:9 | Boost Player Contrast | Enabled | Disabled |
| Resolutions | Highest, Based on your monitor | Vertical Sync | Disabled | Disabled |
| Display Mode | Fullscreen | Multisampling Anti-AliasingMode | 2X MSAA | Off |
| Refresh Rate | Highest, Based on your monitor | Global Shadow Quality | Medium | Low |
| Laptop Power Saving | Disabled | Model/Texture Detail | Medium | Low |
| | | Shader & Particle Detail | Low | Low |
| | | Ambient Occlusion | Disabled | Disabled |
| | | High Dynamic Range | Performance | Performance |
| | | FidelityFXSuper Resolution | Disabled (Highest Quality) | Performance or Balanced |
| | | NVIDIA Reflex | Disabled | Disabled |
Limit your GPU resources.
If your game exceeds the GPU limit (locked at 100% usage), you can limit your GPU resources in the GPU Control Panel. Set the FPS limit to 120 and choose the standard texture quality, or adjust it based on your GPU’s strength. This might help improve your game performance.
Nvidia
- Open your NVIDIA GPU Control Panel and then go to 3D Settings.
- From there, click on the Programme tab and search for Counter-Strike 2.
- Now, choose Max Per Frame Rate and select 120, 140, or a suitable value based on your GPU strength.
AMD
- Open the AMD GPU Control Panel.
- Go to Gaming and select Counter-Strike 2.
- Enable the Chill settings, and then choose a FPS limit between 80, 120, and 140 or any suitable FPS based on your GPU strength.
Change the high DPI settings.
If you have enabled the high DPI settings, it could cause frame drops.
- Open Steam, head to the library, and right-click on the game to manage it.
- From there, click Browse Local Files to open the file explorer.
- Next, scroll down to Counter-Strike 2.exe and right-click on the file to go to Properties.
- Now, go to the Compatibility tab in the properties to change the high DPI settings.
- Uncheck the checkbox for Override High DPI Scaling Behavior and Scaling Performed by Application. That is it. Apply the changes to save.
Disable full-screen optimization.
- Launch Stream, head to the library, and right-click on Counter-Strike 2.
- Go to Manage, then browse local files to open File Explorer. From there, scroll down to find the.exe file.
- Right-click on the file, then go to Properties and click the Compatibility tab to turn off full-screen optimization. Then, apply the changes.
Update DirectX
It is possible that your DirectX is outdated and needs to be updated to the latest version. You can download the DirectX End-User Runtime web installer. Install it, and after updating, restart your computer.
Alternatively, you can also try disabling DirectX 12.
- Open Settings, then go to Videos and set Enable DX12 to off. Then, restart Counter-Strike 2 after making the changes.
Correct rendering device
- Open Steam, then launch Counter-Strike 2.
- Afterward, go to the Video Settings menu and Select Rendering Device.
- Choose your dedicated GPU, and then reboot to save the changes.
Reinstall the MS Visual C++ Runtime
Some apps require Microsoft C and C++ tools. Try reinstalling the MS Visual C++ Runtime.
- Open Apps and Features from Windows Search.
- Look for the Microsoft Visual C++ program. You can download and install MS Visual C++ if it is not installed.
- Uninstall the existing MS Visual C++ runtime, then install the latest version of Microsoft Visual C++ runtime. After installing, restart the system to apply the changes.
Delete saved games.
Deleting all data stored in the game. The data will be saved in the cloud, so after clearing the saved data, reinstalling or launching the game will restore the saved game data.
PlayStation
- Open Settings, then go to storage.
- From there, choose Saved Data, then choose Counter-Strike 2.
- After that, press the Options button on the controls, choose saved game data files, and hit delete to clear the saved game data. After this, restart your game to see the changes.
Xbox
- Head over to Profile & System, then go to Settings.
- Choose the system, click on storage, then select Manage Storage Device and Clear Local Save.
Xbox Cloud Saves
- Head over to My Games & Apps, then press the Menu button on the controller.
- Choose Manage Game & Add-on, then select Saved Data.
- Choose Counter-Strike 2 data, confirm the deleting process, and wait for it to finish. Then, reboot the console to make changes.
Nintendo
- Go to the Home menu, then select System Settings from the drop-down menu.
- After that, choose the system, then select the Formatting option, and choose Delete all content and settings from the browser’s menu.
- Now, clear the cache and follow the on-screen instructions to fix it.
Disable Mouse Accelerations
Suppose you have enabled the MOuse Acceleration, which improves the motion and movement. However, after deactivating it, you can reduce the motion blur or jitter to help reduce the in-game shutter.
- Open Mouse Settings by searching for it from the Windows Logo.
- Head over to Change your mouse settings and then Additional Mouse options.
- Select the Pointer Options tab and then uncheck the checkbox for the Enhanced Pointer Precision box.
- Click on Apply, and then hit OK to Save Changes.
Enable Auto Settings in Video
If you still encounter the Frame Drops, try switching to Audio Settings in Video Mode.
- Open the in-game settings, and then head over to Settings Menu.
- Go to Video and then Choose Auto Settings.
- From there, resume the gameplay to check if you encountered the frame drops or lags.
- If you still have issues with game-facing frame drops, try lowering the video settings and saving to continue with the game.
Use Task Switcher
If facing a black screen, press the Alt + Tab keys to open the Task Switcher. This will allow you to switch between apps, even if your game is on full-screen Windows.
Turn off the Windows firewall or antivirus program.
You can turn off the Windows firewall for the private network, which sometimes temporarily blocks the game. However, temporarily disable or turn off the real-time protection and firewall.
Windows Firewall
- Search for firewall in the Windows Start menu, then select Windows Defender Firewall.
- Click “Turn Windows Defender Firewall on/off” from the left pane, then turn off the Private Network or Public Network settings.
- Now save it, and then restart your computer.
Privacy and Security
- Open Windows Settings, then head over to Updates & Security.
- Choose Windows Security from the left pane and click the Windows Security button.
- Go to Virus & Threat Protection, then click on Manage Settings.
- From there, disable the real-time protection and turn off the antivirus. You can also turn off cloud-delivered protection and tamper protection if required.
Set High Performance in Power Options
In the power options, you can choose a power mode that does not run on balance mode. Select the high-performance mode, which will consume more power or battery to enable the performance mode.
- Go to the Power Options and click on High Performance to select it.
- Next, restart your computer to improve performance, and click OK and Save to confirm your action.
Otherwise, from the Windows Settings, you must also put your Windows Power Performance to best performance.
- Open Windows Settings, and then head over to power.
- From the Drop-down menu in Power Mode, select the Best Performance.
Audio Output Device
This issue does not appear that often, but yeah, some players do have reported it. One of the most common issues with the Audio Device Output issue was the sound configuration, which was not correctly set, or a different audio device was selected.
- Right-click on the sound icon on the taskbar, then click on Open Sound Settings to choose the correct audio device.
- After making changes, test the audio with the master volume and try relaunching the game.
You should always configure that sound settings option in the sound panel and check whether the correct audio device is selected. Windows 11 has the latest Volume Master, which you can open from the bottom-right corner of the taskbar or use Windows + Ctrl + V to open Volume Mixer.
- Choose your output device, which is connected under the output section.
- Test out the change with Master Volume and then launch the Counter-strike game.
- Check the sounds, and it should be working.
Update your Audio Driver
If you are still encountering the Audio issue, it might be because of the Outdated audio driver on your Windows Computers.
- Open Device Manager, for which press Win + X, which will open the Link Menu.
- Select Device Manager and then Double-Click on Sounds, Videos, and Game Controllers.
- Click on it to expand, and then From there, Select the correct audio device you want to update the driver for.
- Next, Right-click on it to Search automatically for drivers. After that, it will start scanning for drivers.
Additionally, you can update your Audio Driver from the Manufacturer’s website to ensure you have updated to the latest version. Also, to ensure the volume level of the game is high, use apps like Ear Trumpets to ensure you have the VOluime Enabled for the game.
Perform a clean boot.
Apps and services automatically start during boot, and if you are experiencing issues, perform a clean boot on your computer.
- Open msconfig by pressing Windows + R, then type “msconfig” and press Enter.
- In the System Configuration, enable the “Hide all Microsoft Services” checkbox, turn off all other services, and apply the changes.
- Go to the Startup tab in the Task Manager and turn off all unnecessary startup items.
- That is it!
If you are still encountering any issues, it is recommended that users get in touch with official support for further help. Alternatively, you can connect with other users and access additional support resources by visiting their official website or joining the discussion community on Steam.
The game already has much excitement, with the release of Counter-Strike 2 bringing a lot of