Valve has yet to bring CS:GO to console, and as of 2025, it still seems unlikely that they will. The 2023 release of CS2 focused firmly on PC, in keeping with the game’s roots. But a cloud streaming or cross-platform solution might offer a solution for console players, although not likely anytime soon.

In spite of Counter-Strike’s apparent legacy status, Valve did release CS:GO on console in August 2012. The title briefly appeared on PS3 and Xbox 360, but these versions suffered from poor updates, did not receive any new maps, and were riddled with bugs. Valve quietly and quickly abandoned the project.

Beyond standard gameplay, CS2 on PC offers unique community features like the extensive skin economy tied to Steam, which does not exist on console. Other than Steam, this skin economy relies on third-party marketplaces. Players can own, buy, or trade skins and weapon cases on such platforms. Cases are dropped in-game. Players can then unbox cases after they play, or compete against each other with unboxed cases in case battle CSGO matches, for example. Such battles contain an exciting element of risk and reward, as collectors are able to win each other’s skins, further enhancing gameplay.

Skins do not only serve as cosmetic gameplay enhancements but also as collectibles, vital to the vast Counter-Strike community’s marketplace and the experience of this highly competitive game.

Some weapons, skins, graffiti, or other paraphernalia can hold a value of thousands of dollars. Whether it’s a specific type of gun, knife, or a pair of gloves, the value of a skin is determined by five factors: the type of weapon, the rarity or “cool” factor, float value (wear level), StatTrak, and stickers. The CS:GO skin economy gained even more momentum with Valve’s 2023 introduction of weekly in-game case drops exclusive to Prime Status accounts.

Console systems like PlayStation or Xbox lack an equivalent third-party marketplace infrastructure crucial to the economy of the CS:GO skin market, thus diminishing the experience. In addition, adapting Counter-Strike for consoles like PS5 also holds significant technical and gameplay challenges. Control scheme modifications in particular, cross-play challenges, and the development investment required is most probably what’s kept Valve playing it safe.

Control scheme modifications would require a thorough overhaul of the precision aiming mechanics dependent on keyboard and mouse CS is known for. Translating the accuracy could fundamentally change and most likely lessen gaming experience.

Ensuring fair gameplay between PC users and console players using notably different control schemes will also prove very difficult. PC players might end up having a distinct advantage when playing against console-operating opponents. Then there’s Valve’s Trusted Mode anti-cheat and in-game cheat protocols, which were specifically designed for and still rely on PC features unavailable on consoles. This was one of the reasons the 2012 PS3/ Xbox 360 console release failed.

Then there’s the time and monetary investment required, with no guarantee that a console-native version might really take off.

So, could console players really step into the gripping world of CS:GO without a PC? Recent advances in cloud gaming and backward compatibility might make it possible, with cloud gaming services like GeForce Now and Xbox Cloud Gaming able to stream PC games to TVs or consoles. Steam Remote Play could also let players stream their PC games to a console-like setup. But if you’re waiting for a console-native version, the answer is not likely.