Counter-Strike 2 controller support might not be the most efficient way to play Valve’s competitive shooter, but it would open the doors for those who prefer to shoot with a pad. While first-person shooters like this are often played on mouse and keyboard, there are some who can make it work with a controller. Here’s how CS2 controller support works.
Does CS2 support controllers?
Counter-Strike 2 does support controllers. Both an Xbox game pad, as well as a PS5 DualSense work on CS2. You can play the game like normal with both major controllers.
However, there are currently some inconsistencies when playing Counter-Strike 2 with a controller that might make it a less-than-ideal experience, even for those who like to play shooters with game pads. The menus still use a mouse, and the cursor is controlled with the analog stick. This can make navigation a little cumbersome.
There are also no appropriate button icons. Regardless on whether you play with an Xbox or PlayStation controller, it will still show mouse and keyboard bindings.
This is not always a problem since reload and jump are where they usually are (X on Xbox and Square on PlayStation; A on Xbox and X on PlayStation, respectively), but some of the bindings aren’t clear. The shoulder buttons switch weapons, but the Y or Triangle button just inspects the gun. The right trigger shoots, but is also used for menu confirmation; the A button on Xbox and X button on PlayStation do not do anything in menus.
It is unclear if Valve is planning to support game pads more in the future. The studio has not even confirmed if it is natively coming to consoles at all, and hasn’t released any of its games on consoles since 2012’s Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. However, Global Offensive had more robust controller support on PC, as it had proper button notations for both PlayStation and Xbox pads. Those with a DualSense could even using its gyro function to aim. Given this precedent, it’s possible that better controller support is coming down the line.
Counter-Strike 2 controller support FAQ
A: Yes, you can play Counter-Strike 2 using a controller. Both Xbox game pads and PS5 DualSense controllers are compatible with the game, allowing you to play like normal.
A: While it’s possible to use a controller, playing Counter-Strike 2 this way might present some inconsistencies, making it less than ideal. The menus still require a mouse, and navigating with an analog stick can be cumbersome. Additionally, the game displays mouse and keyboard bindings instead of the corresponding controller buttons, leading to potential confusion with some of the bindings.
A: It remains unclear whether Valve plans to enhance controller support for Counter-Strike 2. The studio has not released any games on consoles since Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in 2012, which had more robust controller support. Given the precedent set by Global Offensive, it’s possible that improved controller support might be introduced in the future, but there has been no official confirmation from Valve.
