Counter-Strike 2

Best Self Hosted Alternatives to Counter-Strike 2

A curated collection of the 2 best self hosted alternatives to Counter-Strike 2.

Counter-Strike 2 is a free-to-play competitive first-person shooter by Valve providing team-based online multiplayer matches (e.g., Bomb Defusal), matchmaking, ranked play, and esports integration, distributed and played via Steam on PC.

Alternatives List

#1
Red Eclipse

Red Eclipse

An open-source, fast-paced arena shooter featuring parkour mechanics, multiplayer modes, and a realtime WYSIWYG map editor for cooperative map creation.

Red Eclipse is a free and open-source arena shooter built on an expanded Tesseract engine. It emphasizes fast, parkour-influenced movement, competitive multiplayer modes, and an integrated realtime WYSIWYG editor for creating and editing maps collaboratively.

Key Features

  • Fast-paced arena shooter gameplay with parkour mechanics (wall-running, dashing, boosts)
  • Multiple popular gamemodes and extensive mutators and configurable variables
  • Built-in realtime WYSIWYG map editor that supports cooperative online editing
  • Multiplayer server support for community matches and private games
  • Cross-platform native clients for Windows and GNU/Linux; engine built with SDL/OpenGL
  • Source-first distribution model: packaged releases and a development tree for compiling from source

Use Cases

  • Host and run community or private multiplayer matches with customizable rules and mutators
  • Create, edit, and collaborate on game maps in real time using the integrated editor
  • Use the engine and assets as a basis for mods, custom gamemodes, or research into arena shooter mechanics

Limitations and Considerations

  • Official platform support focuses on Windows and GNU/Linux; other platforms may have limited or outdated builds
  • Bleeding-edge or platform-agnostic builds may require compiling from source and installing native build toolchains

Red Eclipse is suitable for players who want a fast, skill-based arena shooter with strong community and map-creation tools, and for creators who want an open engine and editor for mods and custom content.

492stars
95forks
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#2
Suroi

Suroi

Open-source 2D browser battle royale inspired by surviv.io. Client and server in TypeScript with real-time multiplayer, Pixi-based rendering, and self-hosting support.

Suroi screenshot

Suroi is an open-source 2D battle royale game inspired by surviv.io. It provides a browser-based, real-time multiplayer experience with separate client and server components written primarily in TypeScript. The project is a work in progress and is designed to be run locally or self-hosted for private or community servers.

Key Features

  • Real-time browser multiplayer matches with fast-paced battle royale mechanics
  • Client rendered using a sprite-based engine (Pixi.js) and built with modern web tooling
  • Server and client implemented in TypeScript; development workflow uses Bun for local dev
  • Production builds served behind NGINX; server uses a high-performance WebSocket-based backend
  • The project includes seasonal/event content and a modular codebase that is suitable for modification and community contributions

Use Cases

  • Host a private game server for a community, event, or LAN-style matches
  • Study and modify a browser multiplayer game stack for learning or custom features
  • Run seasonal modes, custom maps, or community-driven game servers

Limitations and Considerations

  • The project is actively developed and marked as work in progress; some features may be incomplete or unstable
  • Requires familiarity with Bun and modern web tooling for development; production deployment expects NGINX and a WebSocket-capable server environment
  • Documentation and deployment guides are community-maintained and may require manual setup steps to run reliably

Suroi is a practical open-source implementation of a browser battle royale that emphasizes a modern TypeScript stack and moddability. It is well suited for communities wanting to self-host a lightweight real-time multiplayer game or developers learning browser game architecture.

427stars
206forks
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Why choose an open source alternative?

  • •Data ownership: Keep your data on your own servers
  • •No vendor lock-in: Freedom to switch or modify at any time
  • •Cost savings: Reduce or eliminate subscription fees
  • •Transparency: Audit the code and know exactly what's running