Counter-Strike 2 has officially won the Best Esports Game award at The Game Awards. In the final list, CS2 beat Dota 2, League of Legends, VALORANT, and Mobile Legends, and the decision instantly sparked a wave of discussion across the community.
Counter-Strike 2 Victory
The award became symbolic for a scene that went through a difficult transition from CS:GO to CS2. Despite criticism regarding anti-cheat, updates, and technical issues, Counter-Strike once again proved to be the most stable and recognizable esports discipline of the year.
The formula is simple: clear gameplay, a high skill ceiling, and a scene that has held millions of viewers nonstop for more than ten years.
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Why CS2
For many, the result feels logical. CS2 is a game that barely needs explanation: easy to watch, hard to play, and even harder to compete in. This surface simplicity combined with deep complexity is exactly what made Counter-Strike the benchmark of esports.
Against this background, competitors often look overloaded with systems, patches, and shifting metas that are difficult to follow even for dedicated fans.
Community Reactions
As always, reactions were split between excitement and skepticism.
Nizigaj:
Wikipedia article got edited in like 10 seconds after the live playback. Must’ve had the edit ready to go.
Possible-Put8922:
Sponsored by Valve
mrphil2105:
CS2 is better as an eSport as the game is simpler on the surface but super complex in strategy and game sense.
CaraX9:
Deserved! CS2 is the Football of esports.
New_Relative_1871:
great! now fix subtick and the anticheat.
wickedplayer494:
About damn time that the pre-show esports awards weren’t sweeps that went along the lines of Riot.
Motorhead546:
League has been losing strength for some years now.
Opinions vary, but the overall tone is clear: CS2 did not win because the game is perfect, but because of its foundation and legacy.
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Why This Matters for the Scene
This award is more than just a trophy. It is a signal to the market that Counter-Strike remains a core pillar of esports, even during periods of transition. Ahead lie Majors, new regions, competition with VALORANT, and continued pressure on Valve to improve product quality. But now CS2 has officially secured its status as a game still considered the standard for all of esports.
