This article discusses the indispensable role that community servers have played in the Counter-Strike community, serving as crucial hubs for both casual enjoyment and competitive knowledge, while also shedding light on their challenges within CS2.
For many years, Counter-Strike community servers have housed a significant portion of the player base. Movement game modes such as Surf and KZ have always been exclusively community-made, and until recently, modes like FFA DM and Retakes were as well.
Towards the end of CSGO, Valve implemented their own (64 tick, yuck) version of FFA DM and Retakes, but the server configuration they used was not as refined as the 128 tick community servers, which had gradually improved their configurations over the years based on player feedback. Consequently, even with Valve's native alternatives, these communities primarily remained on their community servers.
In CS2, virtually all content has been removed from the game except for Practice/Deathmatch and Matchmaking/Premier. While there is a community server browser and such servers do exist, many server mods and custom maps that streamlined gameplay and allowed for cosmetic changes were developed for the Source 1 engine and are not easily transferable to CS2.
(Credit: Valve)
One might question why these communities don't revert to playing CSGO while waiting for Valve and the community to catch up and transfer necessary elements. However, the answer is that players wish they could. For some reason, Valve chose to entirely replace CSGO with CS2, removing that option.
This has left Counter Strike players with Valve’s poorly made FFA DM, community retake servers that are a ghost of what they used to be, and no surf or KZ servers. Not to mention all the content that was taken away with the removal of Flying Scoutsman and Arms Race. There is no great way to play the game casually now; Valve have left only competitively-centered modes. Even that, I think the community could live with, if they had actually finished the game and not left it with an incredible number of significant bugs that infringe on its competitive integrity.
The KZ and Surf communities have been the hardest hit by these changes. Players whose motivation for playing centered around learning and mastering movement through these custom community servers currently have no home. While they can download and open the CSGO legacy edition, unless they have the IP of the desired KZ or Surf server and have already downloaded all necessary server content, they cannot play with their communities.
(Credit: PC Gamer)
I can’t tell you how many times I went into one of these servers in order to work on my movement, got stuck somewhere, asked for help from the other community members in the server, and found people more than willing to show me the right method for making a hard jump or most efficient route from one point to another. These communities not only provide a way to enjoy the game casually but are also founts of knowledge for those who are simply willing to ask for it.
It is through scenarios like the one above that the symbiotic relationship between the communities housed by community servers and the competitive Counter Strike community has formed. Knowledge, if you are competitive, is one of the most important advantages you can have over your opponent. Knowing the fastest way to get from CT Spawn into Apartments on Inferno, the best route from T Spawn into A Main on Nuke, or the perfect pixel to stare at so that you can drop without making any noise can give you serious advantages.
Personally, I wouldn't consider myself a casual player. My approach to the game revolves around competitiveness. However, I frequently use community servers for practice and learning, and I know that many other competition-oriented individuals do the same. The point I am trying to make here is that if Valve aims to further prioritize competition in the game, a significant number of players would likely support that. However, the approach should not involve undermining community servers. The right course of action is to facilitate the growth of community servers. This isn't just because casual players value them, or because competitive players value them, but because both groups do, which is indicative of their importance for the entire Counter Strike community.
(Credit: Valve)
Without these servers, these communities will fragment and eventually die, and they will take with them a lot of knowledge that they freely shared with those of us lucky enough to have been around while they were still here. This has the potential to happen faster than Valve might anticipate. Even just a few months of server downtime is enough to make communities find somewhere else to gather, leaving many behind. Or worse, disband altogether.
The impact of the shift from CSGO to the limited offerings in CS2 has been significant, affecting not only the casual player experience but also the competitive edge that thrived within the Counter-Strike community. The removal of community enriching modes such as Surf and KZ, along with the loss of valuable content, has left a void that cannot easily be filled. Community servers have not only provided an avenue for casual gameplay but have also served as hubs for knowledge exchange, fostering a symbiotic relationship between players and the game itself.
It is undeniable that having a competitive advantage in Counter-Strike often hinges on the understanding of intricate details, such as the fastest routes or the optimal method of making a jump. This knowledge, often cultivated through community servers, has played a pivotal role in the evolution of the game and the skills of its players.
While the move to prioritize competitiveness is not inherently misguided, the approach must not come at the cost of undermining the very foundation that has enriched the Counter-Strike experience for countless players. The preservation and growth of community servers should be a significant consideration for Valve, recognizing their significance not just for casual or competitive players but for the healthy development of the Counter-Strike community.
Failure to acknowledge and support these essential community platforms could lead to the gradual disintegration and eventual demise of these invaluable hubs of knowledge. As communities disband and knowledge dissipates, the true impact of this decision on the Counter-Strike landscape may be more profound than anticipated, highlighting the need for a balanced approach that nurtures both competitive aspirations and the communal spirit that has defined the game for so long.
Update: members of the community have made good progress bringing these mods back to CS2. While some modes like KZ have many servers available now, others like Surf are still lacking. Be sure to search regularly to find your favorite server again!
