Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) is under fire as players accuse the game of manipulating Steam reviews in a move labeled as “dishonest.”
After many months of anticipation, Counter-Strike 2 officially launched on September 27. In a controversial move, Valve opted to replace its predecessor, CS:GO, with CS2 on Steam, effectively removing CS:GO from the platform.
Counter-Strike 2 boasts significant improvements, including enhanced graphics and map overhauls. However, the transition has not been smooth for all fans.
CS2 was launched without several popular features that were integral to CS:GO, such as certain maps, game modes, and, notably, support for Mac users. Understandably, there are players who have been left disappointed by Valve’s decision to simply remove the much-loved CS:GO from Steam. And that’s not even to mention the game-breaking bugs that players are already uncovering in CS2.
Adding to the controversy, Valve removed all 167 achievements associated with CS:GO from Steam, further frustrating dedicated fans.
Many of these players have since taken to Steam to voice their frustrations, leaving negative reviews for CS2. However, they soon realized that their reviews were not just impacting CS2’s rating but being added to the collection of reviews that CS:GO had accumulated over time.
This move by Valve has sparked outrage among the community, with many accusing the company of dishonestly inflating CS2’s review score.
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One player review on Steam with more than 5,400 helpful votes states, “However you feel about the update to CS2, CS:GO should not have been de-listed. Also, merging reviews of GO into 2’s is very dishonest. If EA and Ubisoft would get criticized for such a move, why shouldn’t Valve?”
Another user on the Counter-Strike 2 community forum questioned Steam’s review policy, suggesting that Valve was manipulating its own system to favorably position CS2.
However, not all players are in agreement. Some argue that CS2 is merely a significant update to CS:GO and not a separate game. They argue that since CS2 is essentially an evolution of CS:GO, it makes sense for the reviews to be merged.
This perspective has led to heated debates within the community, with some players emphasizing that the title “Counter-Strike 2” indicates it’s a sequel and not just an expansion.
In the meantime, Valve has added a disclaimer on the Counter-Strike 2 store page, clarifying that reviews written before September 27 were for the legacy version, CS:GO.