Counter-Strike 2 vs ELDEN RING
Counter-Strike 2 and ELDEN RING both land in Action on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are Action games on Steam. Counter-Strike 2 (2012) is 10 years older than ELDEN RING (2022). ELDEN RING scores higher on Steam reviews (94.3% positive) than Counter-Strike 2 (86.4% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Side-by-side comparison
 Counter-Strike 2 |  ELDEN RING | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2012 | 2022 |
| Genres | Action, Free To Play | Action, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Verified |
| Price | Free to play | 59.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 86.4% positive (2,531,026 reviews) | 94.3% positive (426,636 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Valve | FromSoftware, Inc. |
Side by side
- Both are Action games on Steam.
- Counter-Strike 2 (2012) is 10 years older than ELDEN RING (2022).
- ELDEN RING scores higher on Steam reviews (94.3% positive) than Counter-Strike 2 (86.4% positive).
- Counter-Strike 2 is free; ELDEN RING is paid (59.99 USD).
- ELDEN RING has co-op; Counter-Strike 2 does not.
- Steam Deck: Counter-Strike 2 is Deck Playable, ELDEN RING is Deck Verified.
Counter-Strike 2 vs ELDEN RING — FAQ
- Which is better, Counter-Strike 2 or ELDEN RING?
- On Steam reviews ELDEN RING scores higher (94.3% positive) than Counter-Strike 2 (86.4% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, ELDEN RING is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Counter-Strike 2 or ELDEN RING first?
- If you want chronology, Counter-Strike 2 (2012) came out before ELDEN RING (2022). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Counter-Strike 2 and ELDEN RING similar?
- They overlap on Action on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Is Counter-Strike 2 free?
- Yes — Counter-Strike 2 is a free-to-play Steam title. ELDEN RING is paid (59.99 USD).