Counter-Strike 2 Limited Playtest poor optimization (Image via Sportskeeda)

Counter-Strike 2 playtest struggles to hit 500 FPS with RTX 4090

Modified Mar 26, 2023 15:08 GMT

Counter-Strike 2 is Valve’s upcoming first-person shooter (FPS) title that will succeed Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) as a sequel. It is going to be more demanding than its predecessor and may present a significant load on the system’s graphics card. The game will bring along various updated features and graphical improvements upon its public release.

The title’s upgrade to the Source 2 engine can have a large impact on the overall optimization. Various content creators and Limited Playtest players with powerful rigs have reported that they are unable to achieve high triple-digit frame rates.

Counter-Strike 2 fails to reach high frame rates on RTX 4090

The presence of high-resolution elements and the developers capitalizing on Source 2’s rendering tools has made it a power-hungry game. Upcoming changes include unified lighting, map reworks, volumetric smoke, and even a few gunfire sound updates.

Optimization concerns

AL3X

@AL3X__CS

My opinion on what we've seen so far from Valve about CS2.
- New graphics (Very nice looking, bad for my already low fps. Need copium and money for a new PC)
- New smoke physics (Pretty interesting. Hopefully no more stupid one-ways)
- Based tick-rate update, I like it.

Counter-Strike 2 is currently live in a Limited Playtest environment and features Dust 2 as the only playable map. A few selected gamers have been invited to try out the upcoming title for data-gathering purposes. This includes several popular players and streamers like Shroud, fl0m, n0thing, and Tarik.

Shroud uses a PC decked out with an Nvidia RTX 4090 and the Intel Core i9-13900K processor. The player has been streaming the title since he gained access and has showcased the system's inability to score frame rates above 400 consistently.

Jacob “Pimp” Winneche

@PimpCS2

@TheWarOwl I’ve had no issues with streaming CS2 compared to CSGO.

Afaik you don’t need to “allow third parties” etc etc.

I’m single PC streaming with no problems apart from a low fps

@andrearctik

CS2 improved graphics and lighting only for pros to turn it all on low they can get 400+ fps

The frame rate numbers are quite similar for other players with high-end builds as well, hinting that Valve's upcoming title might be poorly optimized; however, it is important to note that the game is being playtested, and the final product can vary.

Various tech giants are already developing higher refresh rate displays like the Alienware 500 Hz monitor. Enthusiasts might want to practice patience and observe if the upcoming esports title can take advantage of such refresh rates.

Sharky

@Sharky51726490

@prabhash_mnm Tried low and high settings on CS2. Both looked similarly grainy and rather low fps

Frederik Gyldstrand

@acoRCS

After playing Deathmatch for a bit in CS2 im really disappointed, game needs alot of performance optimization, its way too bright, guns feels weird and clunky etc.

Hopefully they can fix it for the future, but this aint it YET

There are other factors that affect the frame rate of multiplayer titles like CS:GO. Some of the elements are developer-dependent while others can be configured on the player’s side. These settings are usually present inside the settings menu under the video tab.

Players can also expect more graphics driver support for the game as the release date draws closer. A targeted update for Counter-Strike 2 may improve overall support and optimize it for the entire player base.

The presence of new visual elements and lighting also affects the average frame rate. Players have even tested the game in custom matches by noting down the increase or decrease in frames with utilities like smoke and incendiary grenades.

Fans can keep an eye out for the official Twitter page of Counter-Strike 2 for new announcements. Stay tuned to Sportskeeda for the latest updates.

Edited by
Anirudh Padmanabhan