CS:GO vs CoD (5 Key Differences To Know!)

CS:GO and CoD are some of the most popular shooters in the world. Both are military-style FPS games but are very different at the core.

If you are choosing a game to play, we have prepared 5 key differences when comparing CS:GO vs CoD.

To put it briefly:

Call of Duty is a casual game. It is all about the laid-back multiplayer and story missions for you to enjoy even though there are ranked modes.

CS:GO is a competitive game. Competitive is the main game mode players play. In CS:GO you have to prioritize tactics, communication and be focused in every match you play.

Price

From the get-go, we have to mention the price of these games. For some of you this could be the first and the most decisive factor. And we don’t blame you.

Call of Duty

Call of Duty’s latest installment: Modern Warfare II is a premium game that costs $70 on Steam. There is some free-to-play content like Warzone. Which is fairly decent and fun. But in this comparison, we will use the full edition of the game.

$70 is a lot of money. So think if you want to commit to the game before buying it. Also, keep in mind that there’s a new premium Call of Duty release happening every year. Making the last game irrelevant.

CS:GO

CS:GO is a free-to-play game. But it has an optional Prime Status Upgrade for $15 available on Steam. When it comes to Prime vs Free-to-Play CS:GO, there are quite a few differences. The main one is that the Prime Status allows you to play Competitive mode and get an in-game rank.

Teamplay

One of the key differences is the amount of teamplay required from you to win. Depending on what you want from a game, fun or competitiveness, your choice in CS:GO vs CoD will be different.

Call of Duty

Modern Warfare II team

In Call of Duty, most of the content you will be playing is not competitive. You won’t even care about winning or losing as it doesn’t affect anything.

Instead, it’s more independent. You run around and play for kills because that’s how you progress in the game (more on progression later). Use your utility and killstreaks. And if you die, you immediately respawn and get back to it.

CS:GO

CS:GO team

CS:GO is a team game. Teamwork and clear communication through voice chat is crucial. Without it, you might be mistaken for a troll.

From callouts to strategies, and even requesting a weapon, CS:GO puts much more pressure on you. Combining your skill and knowledge with your teammates’ is what wins games.

Mechanical Skill

Mechanics in both CS:GO and Call of Duty are extremely different. Things like movement can be hard to master in any of these games (like slide cancel in CoD) but the important aspect is how mechanics make the game more difficult. If at all.

Call of Duty

Sliding in Modern Warfare II

Call of Duty is much more forgiving compared to CS:GO. You can run around like crazy, jump, slide, spam crouch, and still hit incredible shots.

It doesn’t require too much effort to control the recoil and your health regenerates over time. There are even killstreak abilities like the cruising missile that can easily snag you a few free kills.

CS:GO

AK-47 spray pattern in CS:GO

In CS:GO, it’s the opposite. Everything relies on every move you make. Shooting while moving will not get you any kills, health doesn’t regenerate, and not knowing the spray patterns of guns can put you in a tough spot.

Weapons and Progression

Most of the differences we mentioned thus far come from different progression systems in both games. And by progression, we mean anything that unlocks over time as you play the game.

Call of Duty

M4 weapon progression in Modern Warfare II

In Call of Duty, you have to unlock and level up your weapons to make them perform better. This means that if you are working on a new gun, you may be at a disadvantage compared to the opponents.

On top of that, you also have your account progression and prestige that unlock new perks, killstreaks, and more. Having things unlocked that your opponents don’t have can often be a decisive factor in the game.

Don’t get us wrong. Leveling up guns and unlocking new attachments is fun. That’s one of the main reasons to play CoD even if that makes some of the games unbalanced.

CS:GO

CS:GO weapon buy menu

In CS:GO, all the weapons are available from the get-go. Since it’s a competitive game, everyone should have equal chances in a match.

Instead of leveling up guns, you have to watch your team’s economy during a match. You get money for kills and won rounds that you can then spend on weapons in the next round. Making sure you are always geared up is part of the game strategy.

Variety of Content

Some gamers don’t like doing the same thing over and over again. Others do only that. When it comes to the variety of things to do in CS:GO and CoD, the games are drastically different.

Call of Duty

Modern WArfare II Season 5 roadmap

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 for example had over 6 modes and 10 maps on release. And on top of that, you have the Campaign, Co-op, Raids, Warzone, and DMZ.

And that’s only on the release. With every new season, there is something new in the game. Whether it is a game mode or a weapon, the game will feel fresh at least for some time.

And of course, there’s a new Call of Duty game every year. While the core of the game remains the same, the new iteration can still be very different. From how weapons feel to new maps.

CS:GO

Counter-Strike 2 teaser

CS:GO has been the same for years. There were some changes here and there, even a couple of new weapons. But everything else stayed the same. From map layouts to weapon spray patterns.

The only substantial update to CS:GO is going to be the release of CS2. But even with that, most of the mechanics will not change too much compared to ever-changing CoD titles.