Amidst the popularity of Battle Royales and MOBAs, tactical multiplayer first-person shooters still have a large following of hardcore gamers. Two of the most popular titles today are and Rainbow Six Siege and Counter-strike: Global Offensive (CSGO). There’s no clear winner when it comes to Rainbow Six Siege, also called R6 Siege vs CSGO, but we can help you choose which game is better for you by comparing them.
R6 Siege vs CSGO – The Rundown
Here’s a quick summary of the differences from Rainbow Six Siege vs CSGO. Remember that these are really short answers and we recommend you to read more about it down below.
- Mechanics – R6 Siege evolved from tactical shooters, while CSGO evolved from arena shooters.
- Gunplay – R6 Siege has an ADS (aim-down-sight) mechanic and weapon attachment system. CSGO has straightforward gunplay with recoil management, reloading, and surface penetration.
- Variety – R6 Siege has more distinct, role-dependent character-based play styles. CSGO players can assume any role.
- Pacing – R6 Siege starts out slow and speeds up as the round ends, while CSGO starts fast, slows down, then speeds up again.
Both games are considered good by today’s standards, but which one is better? It all boils down to what kind of experience you’re after. Let’s take a deeper look at what the two games offer:
The Mechanics
Despite both being tactical squad-based shooters, R6 Siege and CSGO are different from each other because they evolved from two distinct FPS subgenres. R6 Siege came from tactical shooters like the older Tom Clancy games, while CSGO has its foundations rooted in Half-life and other arena-based shooters.
R6 Siege is considered more realistic than CSGO, but with a few acceptable adjustments for better gameplay. Jumping is nonexistent, but you can sprint, vault over barricades or windows, go prone, and even rappel up or down. Parts of the map are destructible, making maps more dynamic; there are no set routes to an objective. Last but not least, the game relies heavily on remote vision courtesy of security cameras and drones.
CSGO is a tactical shooter but it still keeps the core mechanics of its predecessors. Standard movement, jumping, and crouching are still there but those are slightly toned down to make them feel more grounded. The maps are mostly static except for a few destructible vents or opening doors. Another important mechanic that’s unique to the game is the buying system, giving you access to guns and limited tactical gear.
Gunplay
Both games are heavily inspired by real-world weapons. However, aside from recoil and reload mechanic, the gunplay in R6 Siege and CSGO are very different from each other.
R6 Siege guns are more complex, thanks to the ability to customize their performance by adding attachments. For example, attaching a flash hider to an M4 makes it better at firing short bursts, while a compensator decreases the radius of the recoil pattern during extended fire. Other extra gunplay-related factors include aiming down sights, the addition of scopes for better aiming, and selecting fire modes. It will take longer to get used to the guns in R6 Siege, but you have the option to optimize them according to your preferences.
CSGO’s gunplay is simple and intuitive. Each gun has its own recoil pattern with a small degree of randomness, but for the most part the patterns are very consistent. Some guns may have gimmicks such as attachable silencers, alternate fire modes or a hold trigger mechanic (R8 Revolver). Some guns can penetrate surfaces better than others while others can’t. Because of its straightforward design, the gunplay in CSGO is easy to learn but still hard to master.
Variety
Many players prefer having a lot of options when playing, especially when it comes to shooters. Other games offer some degree of variety, but in completely different ways.
R6 Siege players have to choose a character and loadout at the beginning of the match. You’re pretty much stuck to your initial weapons and gear until the round ends but you can customize the same loadout to fit your play style. For example, Bandit can be a good roamer, but you can tweak his loadout to make him a decent anchor. This means R6 adds variety to character-specific roles.
In CSGO, it’s possible to use any gun in the game. Aside from a few team-exclusive options (such as the M4 for the CT and AK for Terrorists), you can buy any weapon or tactical gear provided you have enough cash. In fact, you can even use team exclusive guns dropped by another player. Anyone can start as a sniper, a support player, or an entry fragger then switch to another role as the situation demands. In short, CSGO players enjoy more variety in terms of general playstyle.
Pacing
Pacing refers to how things progress in a match. Both games have highs (fast-paced) and lows (slower, more methodical plays) every round. This method isn’t set in stone because pacing still depends on the players’ actions, but most rounds go according to the following pattern.
IMPORTANT: However, we’ll limit the R6 Siege vs CSGO comparison to bomb/defuse since that is the most popular game mode played in both games.
Because a single round of R6 Siege has two main phases (preparation and action), defenders have enough time to get in position. This means that matches usually start slow and methodical for both teams. However, things start to speed up during the last minute as the round timer forces attackers to push forward.
CSGO has no preparation phase so the round starts as soon as the buying period ends. Furthermore, even the defending team (CT) has to make their way to the objective. Rounds start out fast with both teams trying to take control of the map. Things slow down as the game turns into taking key picks before pushing forward. As with R6 Siege, the game picks up its pace during the last minute (whether timeout or after a successful bomb plant) as both teams try to eliminate each other or accomplish their objective.
That wraps up our discussion on R6 Siege vs CSGO. If you’re already familiar with Counter-strike, feel free to check out these tips on getting better at the game.
