Counter-Strike 2 still wears the crown when it comes to tactical shooters, but that doesn’t mean it’s without rivals. In 2025, a handful of games are pushing hard to claim a piece of the spotlight – offering their own take on tight gunplay, strategy, and high-stakes competition.
From fresh takes on 5v5 formats to hardcore survival arenas, tactical FPS fans have plenty of options if they’re looking to switch things up. That said, even the best challengers still can’t match CS’s legendary skin economy – one of the major reasons trading hubs are busier than ever.
Here’s a closer look at the top contenders:
Valorant
Riot Games didn’t just launch another shooter; they built a monster. Valorant offers precision shooting in a 5v5 format that’s strikingly similar to CS, but with a twist – agents have abilities. Think smoke grenades, flashes, and walls, but tied to characters instead of equipment you buy each round.
With massive tournaments under the Valorant Champions Tour banner and millions in prize pools, Valorant has cemented its place as CS’s biggest competitor on the esports stage. Still, while Valorant has a strong cosmetic scene, its skin economy doesn’t allow direct trading, making it a different beast entirely from the thriving marketplace CS fans enjoy.
Rainbow Six Siege
If CS2 is all about clean, precise gunplay, Rainbow Six Siege is about chaos you can control. Ubisoft’s tactical shooter leans hard into environmental destruction, unique operator gadgets, and methodical planning. It’s a different flavour of the same high-tension experience.
Siege has stayed relevant thanks to a loyal player base and regular competitive seasons, anchored by major events like the Six Invitational. But again, while Siege offers plenty of cosmetic customisation, it’s locked into personal inventories – no open market like the one fuelling CSGO games sites.
Escape From Tarkov (Arena Mode)
The hardcore survival shooter Escape From Tarkov made a name for itself with its brutal realism. Now, with Arena Mode launched in late 2024, Battlestate Games is stepping into direct Counter-Strike territory.
Arena Mode strips away some of Tarkov’s slower elements, focusing on tight, brutal 5v5 firefights in smaller maps. It’s tough, tense, and rewards sharp aim and quick decisions. Tarkov’s economy is massive too – but it’s different. No vibrant, open skin market like Counter-Strike’s that allows players to trade, bet, and flex their inventories outside of matches.
XDefiant
Ubisoft’s second entry on this list, XDefiant offers a faster, flashier take on competitive FPS battles. Mixing crisp gunplay with faction-based abilities, it’s more arcade-like than CS2 but still serious enough to pull in the tactical crowd. XDefiant’s esports scene is still growing, but Ubisoft is pushing hard, with early tournaments and a growing grassroots following.
Customisation options are there, but once again – no open, player-driven skin economy. Counter-Strike’s marketplace remains a one-of-a-kind phenomenon.
Fortnite (Ballistic Mode)
Fortnite might seem like an odd name to drop here, but Epic Games shook things up with their new Ballistic Mode. No building. No crafting. Just straight-up 5v5 tactical gameplay that feels way closer to a CS bomb defusal than anything Fortnite has offered before.
It’s early days for Ballistic Mode’s competitive scene, but if Epic puts serious weight behind it (and they usually do), it could carve out a niche. However, like everything else on this list, Fortnite’s cosmetics – as cool as they are – are tied to your account. There’s no independent trading or marketplace system driving a secondary economy the way CS has through countless CSGO games sites.
More Shooters, Same King
Plenty of games are challenging Counter-Strike 2 in 2025. Some are faster, flashier, or more experimental. But none – not Valorant, not Siege, not Tarkov, not XDefiant, not even Fortnite – have matched the unique magic of CS’s open trading, legendary skins, and thriving player-driven economy.
And until someone figures that out, Counter-Strike’s throne looks pretty safe.
