Weapon skins in Counterstrike are a bit of a controversial topic, so I’ll keep it short.

In fact, maybe all you need is the following example to understand why weapon skins are so coveted in Counterstrike:

https://twitter.com/DrDisrespect/status/1682496251932332032

You see, not only do people love to toss money at crates, but people love to watch people toss money at crates, and for better or worse, it keeps players engaged with the game. It also helps that some of these skins are worth thousands, and in some cases, millions of dollars.

That said, Valve is carrying over weapon skins from CS:GO to Counterstrike 2, and what’s more, they will be receiving a graphical facelift.

This will ensure that weapon skins retain their value when the new game launches, which is something that games like Call of Duty and others don’t offer.

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High Skill Ceiling

Another contributing factor to Counterstrike’s historic run has been its unwavering difficulty and high skill ceiling.  

What is a skill ceiling, you ask?

In gaming, a “skill ceiling” typically refers to the total number of skills, tactics, and strategies that players can use to increase their proficiency and gain a competitive advantage over a human or computer-controlled opponent.  

It must also be mentioned that skill ceilings exist in all kinds of activities, including board games like chess and checkers and traditional sports like basketball and baseball.

However, not all skill ceilings are created equal, and some games, like Chess, have a much higher skill ceiling compared to board games like checkers, meaning it’s both harder to learn and harder to master.

Interestingly, games with a high skill ceiling tend to stick around, and in many cases, become more popular over time.

Don’t believe me?

Look at the top games played on Steam:

https://steamcharts.com/

Indeed, 5 of the top 10 games played on Steam are games with high skill ceilings (e.g., CS:GO, DOTA, Apex Legends, PUBG, and Team Fortress 2). And of these 5, CS:GO, DOTA 2, and Team Fortress 2 are rather old.

Now, there are a lot of reasons why these games have remained as popular as they are over the years, but in short, I think it’s safe to say that games with high skill thrive because they’re rewarding to play.

When a game is difficult to learn and master, reaching a high level of proficiency feels great. Additionally, there’s a level of prestige that comes with mastering certain activities.

I mean, would you be impressed if I was a Grandmaster-level tic tac toe player?

Probably not.  

That said, making your game difficult to learn and/or master isn’t a guarantee that it will capture a huge audience or be successful over the long run.

For example, the board game Go is far more complicated than Chess, but it’s not as popular.

Why?

For starters, Chess is simply more fun to watch, especially when players are on a time crunch (e.g., Blitz, Bullet, etc.). Additionally, the fact that there are different kinds of pieces in Chess adds to the drama of the game and creates fun-to-execute tactics like forking multiple pieces at once, sacrificing high-value pieces for a winning position, and so on and so forth.

Counterstrike is very similar in this regard. Sure, it might not be the most difficult first-person shooter to master, but its relative simplicity adds to the drama and makes it extremely fun to spectate.

And make no mistake, while Counterstrike may not be as difficult to master compared to some of its contemporaries, its skill ceiling is sufficiently high enough to keep players in the lab and practicing their headshots, grenade tosses, callouts, and more for hours and years on end.

Esports

The hour is getting late, so let’s get to the point.

Since its inception, Counterstrike has been one of the most played and watched esports games in the world.

That’s right, for a little over 20 years, no other first-person shooter has come close to taking the crown—not Valorant, not Overwatch, not Apex Legends, not PUBG, and not COD. In fact, since 2017, Counterstrike tournaments and events have been in the top 5 for both viewership and total prize pool for all games, not just first-person shooters.

Now, you may be asking yourself, what does Counterstrike’s esports scene have to do with anything?

Listen, the fact is that when a game has a thriving esports scene, players will want to be part of the community in whatever way they can.

Why?  

First, players want to play games that have a future, and even if they don’t make a run at the pro scene, it feels good to know that there are people out there playing the game at a high level, getting paid, and entertaining fans around the world.

I mean, imagine if the NBA didn’t exist—do you think kids playing basketball at the park or local gym would feel the same about the game? I think not.

Additionally, a thriving esports scene means that players of all skill levels can get together and watch pros compete online or at in-person events.

Like watching traditional sports, these events bring players together and help them form a strong community founded on shared experiences, memes, and so on and so forth.

And when they’re not watching an event, guess what, they’re playing the game.

It’s a positive feedback loop that has stood the test of time.

Final Thoughts

If you’re still out there, thanks for sticking around. I know it was a journey, but we’ve finally arrived at the end of the line.

I hope that I’ve made it clear why Counterstrike has stuck around for as long as it has—a couple of things though before we go: if you’re a developer out there and you’re looking to make a Counterstrike clone, don’t do it.

Instead, use what we’ve discussed as a framework for creating something fun and unique.

I don’t mean to be that guy, but the world doesn’t need another Counterstrike clone, the world needs the next Counterstrike. It needs the next genre-defining first-person shooter that provides a range of experiences that both casual and hardcore players can enjoy.

For developers, ensuring that your game is accessible to new players is critical.

Now, there are a lot of ways in which a game can be made more accessible; however, not all accessibility features are created equal, and I do believe some developers take things too far.

For example, I’m not a huge fan of tutorials, difficulty settings, on-screen navigation cues, etc. To me, games need to be easy to learn and shouldn’t require any extensive handholding—I’d rather learn through actually playing the game as opposed to someone or something telling me what to do.

In addition to being easy-to-learn, games should also take steps to manage the skill gap so that new players always feel like they have a fighting chance against opponents of greater skill and/or experience.

This fighting chance may literally just be a feeling, but so long as it’s there, players should stick around even if they’re losing.

And when it comes to accessibility, I believe Counterstrike gets several things right, including its simplistic movement scheme, easy-to-understand game modes, and more.

So, let’s take a closer look at everything that makes Counterstrike newbie-friendly to see what we can learn.

Ready?

Let’s get to it!

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Movement

Compared to its 1999 counterparts, Counterstrike had (and still has) an easy-to-understand movement scheme, which is important for onboarding new players and preventing them from feeling overwhelmed.

Indeed, part of the reason why old-school arena shooters like Half-Life, Team Fortress Classic, Quake, Doom, and Unreal Tournament failed to capture a wider audience is their unintuitive and difficult-to-learn movement mechanics.

Granted, having a complex movement scheme isn’t necessarily a big deal when the game is new, but over time, advanced movement mechanics widen the skill gap to such a degree that the game is no longer fun to play for inexperienced players.

This wouldn’t be such a big deal if new players could figure out how to execute advanced movement mechanics like bunny hopping or strafe jumping on their own, but unless you have a coach or watch an extensive amount of YouTube, most players will find learning these techniques extremely frustrating.

Counterstrike, on the other hand, is a much slower-paced game and there are only a handful of movement mechanics to master. Indeed, there’s no sprint mechanic; there are no character-specific abilities, and although you can sort of bunny hop, the situations in which you can use this mechanic are limited.

This makes Counterstrike much easier to newcomers to play and allows them to focus on what really matters: hitting their shots and coordinating with their teammates.

This isn’t to say that all first-person shooters need to be slow and tactical like Counterstrike, but movement schemes in general need to be easily understood from the get-go.

Trust me, I love movement-focused shooters, and I wish more players were willing to take the time to learn games like Quake and the like, but I also understand it’s not a great experience for new players when some bunny-hopping nerd zooms past them at a 100 mph while nailing them in the face with a rocket.

Now, I know some of you might be thinking to yourself, hold on a second, what about games like Apex Legends and Warzone? Both games have relatively advanced movement mechanics and they’re still widely popular, so what gives?

Apex Legends has a few advanced movement mechanics, but success in Apex Legends doesn’t heavily depend on them: coordinating with your teammates and hitting your shots is still way more important than wall jumping, bunny hopping, or using character abilities to get yourself out of sticky situations.  

And the same goes for Warzone: sure, slide canceling was an important technique if you wanted to play aggressively, but playing the game at a slower pace was also viable, especially if you were working with your teammates to hold corners and set traps.

Granted, there was a point when the movement in Warzone went too far (Caldera-era), and when this occurred, players started to drop off due to the skill gap becoming too large.

The hilarious part of all this is that, when Warzone 2 came out, the developers decided to simplify the movement, which according to everything I’ve said thus far, you’d think that Warzone 2 would be a huge hit.

Unfortunately, when you couple slow movement with an extremely low time-to-kill (TTK) and an awful net code, you end up with an extremely punishing experience, but that’s another topic for another day.

The point is that movement in games like Quake or Team Fortress Classic isn’t optional if you want to be competitive: you need to know how to strafe jump if you want to succeed in a duel or a round of capture the flag because everything is extremely time sensitive, and you need to get to your spots ASAP.  

As such, if you want your game to be successful, don’t overdo it with the movement, and if you want to include a few advanced movement mechanics, they can’t be difficult for new players to figure out on their own.

Objective

For the most part, figuring out the win conditions of a round of Counterstrike is pretty straightforward: to win, you either need to kill every player on the enemy team, plant or defuse the bomb, or rescue the hostages.

Granted, it may take a few rounds to grasp the intricacies of these conditions fully, but overall, that’s really all there is to it.

Keeping the win conditions simple is important for onboarding new players because if they don’t know how to win, then there’s a good chance that they won’t have fun playing your game.

Additionally, it’s important for players to be funneled toward the objective; otherwise, players might get distracted and start doing their own thing.

Now, there isn’t anything wrong with players wanting to do their own thing—some of my best experiences playing first-person shooters came when everyone was just hanging out and creating their own personal win conditions, like out sniping another player on an opposing team’s battlements.

However, these experiences primarily occurred on private dedicated servers, so playing the objective wasn’t a priority.

That said, this kind of experience isn’t for everyone: some players need and want to be told what to do, which is why I believe Counterstrike has been so successful: it caters to both audiences—those who want a streamlined, objective-based experience, and those who want to simply hang out on a private dedicated server and joke around with their friends.

So, how does Counterstrike funnel players toward the objective?

Well, Counterstrike is round-based, and each round only lasts for about 2 minutes.  

This forces players to at least contend with the idea of completing the objective and leaves little room for shenanigans.

And if players don’t play the objective and decide to fool around, there’s a good chance they’ll end up dead and watching from the sidelines until the round ends.

It’s a punishing dynamic, but it works.

Indeed, if you want to stay alive and win the round, your best shot is to work with your teammates and play the objective.

Headshots

Although headshots may seem like an odd thing to include under accessibility, ask yourself: do headshots make Counterstrike easier or harder to play?

If your answer is both, then I think we’re on the same page.

However, if you don’t think headshots make Counterstrike easier to play, consider what Counterstrike would be like without them: the time-to-kill (TTK) would be much higher, which means securing kills would be harder and aiming would be even more important than it is now.  

This all might sound counterintuitive but think about it: without headshots, players can’t score kills or deal bonus damage with a single bullet, which means players will need to land more shots with a greater degree of accuracy to get the kill.

This isn’t to say that headshots decrease the skill ceiling, on the contrary, mastering the headshot mechanic is extremely difficult and takes a long time to perfect.

However, as all Counterstrike players can attest, not all headshots are intentional, and getting a random headshot isn’t exactly difficult—you just point your crosshair in the vicinity of your opponent’s head and hold Mouse 1 until you run out of bullets.

Back in my day, we used to call this tactic “spray and pray”, and while its effectiveness isn’t great, it still got us through a lot of sticky situations. However, if there are no headshots, then your prayers will go unanswered.

As such, I believe Headshots make Counterstrike more accessible since they allow inexperienced players to score kills fast, even if it’s by accident.

The ability to score kills quickly is also an excellent tool for leveling the playing field.

Indeed, headshots allow players who are at a health disadvantage to deal enough bonus damage to give them a fighting chance. If headshots weren’t in the game of Counterstrike, then players would have to rely on a utility item, like a grenade, to make up the damage, which to me, isn’t as intuitive as shooting your gun and requires a greater degree of hand dexterity.

Remember, I’m talking about new players, and new players don’t have the muscle memory and or the hand dexterity to quickly switch to their utility item on the fly.

Private dedicated servers

The last thing I want to include under accessibility is a little something called private dedicated servers.

I don’t want to dive into too many details here, but if you’re curious, you can find a longer discussion on this topic here.

In short, private dedicated servers allow players to experience the game on their own terms.

Without private dedicated servers, players would have to rely on Counterstrike’s official matchmaking systems, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it’s not as interesting or fun as what can be achieved on dedicated private servers.

For example, for players who want to dial in their aim, private dedicated servers allow players to set up their own practice arenas where players can respawn and change their equipment on a whim.  

This provides inexperienced players with a carefree way to practice their aim against other humans, and what’s more, many of these servers become a place to hang out and chill for people who not only want to practice their aim but also goof around.

You see, games like Valorant might have their own practice servers, however, they’re not persistent.

Instead, Valorant kicks players out of the server once the round ends and sends them back to the matchmaking queue.

For many of us, this isn’t as fun as hanging out in a dedicated server.

Why?

If I’m jiving with the people on the server, I might want to stay. And what’s more, if the server is always available, I can come back and maybe play with the same group of players.

As such, I believe private dedicated servers are an essential accessibility feature for new players to not only practice their aim but also ingratiate themselves within the community, which should help them stay engaged for the long haul.

That’s it for part 2, stay tuned for 3!

Counterstrike is a game that I have a love/hate relationship with.

First, I hate the game because its release spelled the end of arena shooters, which was all I ever played back in the late 90s/early 2000s.

That said, I also respect the hell out of it for staying relevant for 20+ years, and now with the release of Counterstrike 2 upon us, Counterstrike is not only the most popular game on Steam but also more popular than ever.

The funny thing about Counterstrike is that it’s not exactly a complicated game design-wise, but here’s the thing: Counterstrike’s simplicity is only skin-deep—play it long enough and you’ll start to see that it offers way more than meets the eye.

From its high skill ceiling to its wide range of official and custom game modes, Counterstrike is a game that can keep you entertained for years and years.

And if you’re a developer or studio making a first-person shooter, understanding why Counterstrike is so popular should be a priority.

Why?

Well, wouldn’t it be great to make a first-person shooter that doesn’t need major updates every year to stay relevant or enjoyable to play? And wouldn’t it be great if that same game made you a ton of money for 20+ years and counting?  

Yea, that’s what I thought.

So, what exactly is the secret to Counterstrike’s success?

In short, I believe Counterstrike’s success comes to the following:

1.      It’s highly accessible

2.      It has a strong weapon skin economy

3.      It has a high skill ceiling

4.      It has a thriving Esports scene.

There’s much to discuss here, so this will be a multi-part series.

Part 1 (what you’re reading now) is just the intro; In part 2, we’ll discuss everything that makes Counterstrike accessible; In part 3, we’ll discuss everything else.

So, stay tuned!

Before we begin, I suppose an explanation of what this series is about is in order.

Let’s start with two basic questions: what is the point of a user interface (UI), and why is user experience (UX) important?

The answers to these questions should be pretty straightforward: a well-designed UI makes whatever we’re working with easier to use, and UX is important because if we’re not having a good time, what’s the point?

But from where I’m standing, it seems as if things are becoming less usable and more irritating by the day.

Now, I don’t know when it started or who’s to blame, but every time I browse the web, play a video game, or use my phone, it feels as if I’m not the one who’s in control.

And for me, control is paramount.

And with so many companies going through UI/UX redesigns, you would think that things would be getting better and not worse.

As such, the goal of this series is to examine different UI/UX shortcomings and see if we can fix them.

Are you ready? Yes?

Let’s begin.

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Chapter 1: loud noises

Tell me, when did browsing videos on the internet become such an assault on the senses?

Take, for example, Netflix: it’s bad enough when the startup jingle shakes my entire living room, but must every video preview play automatically and at max volume?

Do people enjoy the sudden jolt of sound when opening the app and moving from one preview to the next? Does it make them feel alive?

It doesn’t make me feel alive—quite the opposite.

And it’s not just Netflix: YouTube and Amazon Prime Video are also guilty, and I’m sure there are plenty more examples that we could find if we had the time.

The funny part about all this is that Netflix knows its UI/UX is an issue, so much so that they added the ability to disable video previews way back in 2020.

Here’s the original tweet announcing this capability: 

https://twitter.com/netflix/status/1225506511184703493?s=20

But here’s the thing, if you use Netflix on anything other than an iPad, iPhone, or an Android phone or tablet, the only way to disable video previews is through a web browser.

So, if you’re watching Netflix on an Xbox Series X or PS5, you can’t turn off video previews within the Netflix app—you’ll have to pause what you’re doing and switch devices.

If that sounds ridiculous to you, it’s because it is ridiculous. It’s 2023, and Netflix has yet to provide users with the in-app capability of turning off autoplaying previews across all supported platforms.

In addition to autoplaying video previews, Netflix has another cute trick up its sleeve: at the end of whatever you’re watching, Netflix will present you with several video recommendations.

Oh, and there’s a countdown because, well, Netflix hates you.

Tick Tock

At the end of this 18-second countdown, Netflix will automatically play the first video in the queue.

Moreover, the UI on the screen is confusing: 3 video recommendations pop up at the bottom, but the overall appearance makes it look like the recommendations are part of an overlay sitting on top of the credits.

My intuition is to hit “back” on the remote since that’s what you do when a UI element is layered on top of something else. But hitting back doesn’t remove the overlay; it kicks you out of the credits altogether and tosses you back to the home screen where the sonic assault resumes.

And if you try to get back to the credits, chances are you’ll have to spend 20-30 seconds fast-forwarding through the entire movie or show just to get back to where you were.  

See, even though the video previews look like they’re layered on top of the credits, Netflix doesn’t want you to go back, it wants you to go to the upper left and select “Watch Credits”, which doesn’t make much sense at all.

I mean, seriously, why direct my attention to the bottom of the screen when the button I want is at the top?

And why is there no capability to turn off these recommendations?

I don’t know about you, but I kind of enjoy watching the end credits, and when I was a kid, watching the credits was an end-of-the-night ritual for my family.  

It allowed us the time to gather runaway popcorn kernels, talk about what we just watched, and so on. And when my mother was pregnant with my sister, we would all sit and watch the credits together as a family to see if we could find interesting new baby names.

But nope, no time for that anymore. Here's another video for your viewing pleasure.

Seeing red

Listen, I’m quite aware that I might be a special case—an outlier if you will—and that I tend to be dramatic.

But am I wrong?

Let’s look at another example: YouTube Shorts.

Say you’re browsing some Shorts on your smartphone with the sound enabled, but your attention shifts to something else, and you close the app.  

But when the time comes to reopen YouTube, Shorts will automatically start playing, and guess what? The sound will be on.  

And here’s the funny part, there’s no telling what the Short might be.  

Sure, maybe you were looking at crab-walking cats before you closed the app, but the next Short might be something completely unrelated and perhaps even something you’re not interested in at all.

Now tell me, is this a good user experience?

Wouldn’t it be better if YouTube waited for the user’s input before doing anything?

No?

Well, okay then—I’ll see myself out.  

That’s a joke, you couldn’t get rid of me if you tried.

Business as usual

Listen, I fully understand that Netflix and YouTube are businesses, and businesses need to make money. As such, ensuring that the content keeps flowing is super important.

But there’s no reason why us users and the corpo suits can’t get along and strike a balance between usability and profits, especially when this balance has already been achieved with YouTube’s standard video content.

When watching standard, non-Short content, YouTube will automatically create and queue up a list of videos after selecting something to watch. And once the video ends, the next video in the queue will automatically play.

Now, I can accept this feature for a few reasons: 1) at this point in the funnel, the user has already decided to engage with the content, so automatically playing the next video in the queue isn’t as terrible, 2) YouTube doesn’t automatically play standard video content with the sound enabled upon launching the app, and 3) there’s a button to disable this feature.

Additionally, I can imagine that videos automatically playing one after another makes YouTube more accessible to those who struggle with user interfaces due to age, lack of experience, or perhaps even a disability.

That said, I still don’t love this setup, but it works because the user is still mostly in control of their viewing experience. Moreover, YouTube has a greater chance of serving users ads and making money—so, it’s a win-win.  

By the way, if you’re reading this and want to test things for yourself, be warned: the UI/UX between the desktop version of YouTube versus the mobile version is not identical.

For example, while YouTube Shorts might autoplay on mobile, the desktop version of YouTube doesn’t automatically play the next Short in the queue, and going to YouTube.com will always default to showing you its standard video content first regardless of what you were previously watching.

Don’t ask me why, it is what it is.  

So, what now?

Well, the good news is that fixing these issues should be relatively easy: in every single example, the solution is simply to provide users with more control over how and when videos play.

So, if I want to allow Netflix previews to play while muted, I should have that ability. Or, if I don’t want video previews to play at all, I should have that option as well. And all these options should be within reach—I shouldn’t have to stop what I’m doing and load up a web browser on a separate machine to adjust my in-app experience.

The bad news, unfortunately, is that these issues will never get fixed.

Why?

When it comes down to it, I think companies like Netflix and YouTube value profits over usability, and so long as the money keeps rolling in, nothing is going to change.

I mean seriously—the fact that the solutions to these issues are so simple yet they persist year after year should be a huge giveaway about their motivations.

And if it’s not greed, then I guess it’s incompetence.

That may sound harsh, but how else am I to explain all these autoplay-related issues and the UI/UX inconsistencies between platforms?  

It’s not rocket science.

Allow users to control their user experience, it’s their experience after all, and in the case of Netflix and YouTube Premium, users are already paying for the service, so force-feeding content shouldn’t be necessary since both services are free of advertisements.

I mean, isn’t it enough that they already have our money? Must they confiscate our time as well?

But with so many gaming mice available, how does one decide?

In this article, we’ll discuss the best gaming mice for Counterstrike 2 based on shape and grip style (i.e., fingertip, claw, and palm).

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What makes for a great Counterstrike 2 mouse?

To get the most out of your aim, there are a few characteristics you should look for in a gaming mouse.

First and foremost, you want a mouse that gives you a feeling of stability and predictability.

As such, grip width and shape should be something you pay extra special attention to.

Why?

Well, let’s look at the top 5 most used gaming mice for the current iteration of Counterstrike, CS:GO:

·      Logitech G Pro Superlight

·      Zowie EC2

·      Razer Deathadder V3 Pro

·      Logitech G Pro Wireless

·      Zowie EC1

All these mice have a grip width of at least 60mm, and the reason for this preference likely comes down to the fact that a mouse with a wide grip width is more stable compared to something that’s narrower and smaller overall.

Additionally, the shape or curve of a mouse’s side also plays a significant role. Of the 5 gaming mice for CS:GO listed above, 3 of them feature an ergonomic shape, while the other two are ambidextrous or symmetrical.

What’s more, the two mice that are ambidextrous (i.e., the G Pro Superlight and G Pro Wireless) feature sides that are flat, which means that the grip width doesn’t change much when measured from the thumb buttons to the base.

Although a minor detail, I do believe that mice with flat sides provide more lateral stability, which is important for a game like Counterstrike where the ability to comfortable hold corners for an extended period is paramount.

As such, the mice I’ve chosen for this guide follow these basic principles and should provide an excellent aiming experience for Counterstrike 2.

What about weight?

Thanks to Finalmouse, weight has become a hot-button topic.

Indeed, ever since the release of the first Ultralight, it seems like every mouse maker in the industry has been trying to make mice as light and as fast as possible.

But does weight really matter?

Well, let’s look at that top 5 list again for CS:GO, this time with the weights listed:

·      Logitech G Pro Superlight: 63g

·      Zowie EC2: 90g

·      Razer Deathadder V3 Pro: 63g

·      Logitech G Pro Wireless: 80g

·      Zowie EC1: 97g

Of the top 5 gaming mice for CS:GO, only two of them can be considered “lightweight”, which should pretty much tell you everything you need to know.

That said, some people do perform better with a lighter mouse, and as such, I’ve made sure to include several lightweight recommendations in this guide.

Top Ergonomic mice for Counterstrike 2

Ergonomic mice feature a contoured shape designed to fit the user’s hand when it’s in a relaxed state, making them most suitable for palm grip users.

However, you can still use a claw or fingertip grip with an ergonomic mouse, but you might get better results with an ambidextrous mouse.

Below are my top ergonomic gaming mice for Counterstrike 2:

·      Zowie EC series

·      Razer Deathadder V3 Pro

·      VAXEE Outset AX

·      VAXEE NP-01

·      Logitech G703

·      Pulsar Xlite V2 Wireless

·      Xtrfy M4 Wireless

·      Glorious Model D

·      Logitech G502 X Plus

·      Razer Basilisk V3 Pro

Top Ambidextrous mice for Counterstrike 2

Ambidextrous mice are symmetrical, meaning that, if you were to cut them down the middle length-wise, you would have two identical pieces.

Ambidextrous mice are a popular choice for those who use a fingertip or claw grip; however, depending on your hand size, they can also be palmed.

Compared to ergonomic mice, ambidextrous mice offer more grip flexibility as they’re not designed to fit the shape of your hand. As result, many players, myself included, prefer ambidextrous mice because they’re easier to track and snap to targets on the y-axis (up and down).

That said, ambidextrous mice are not as comfortable as ergonomic mice, so if you try an ambi-style mouse and it causes you discomfort, an ergonomic mouse might be a better fit.

Below are my top ambidextrous mice recommendations for Counterstrike 2:

·      Logitech G Pro Superlight

·      VAXEE XE Wireless

·      Razer Viper V2 Pro

·      Endgame Gear XM1r

·      Zowie S Series

·      Zowie ZA Series

·      Logitech G303 Shroud Edition

·      Logitech G Pro Wireless

·      SteelSeries Sensei Ten

·      ASUS ROG Harpe Ace Aim Lab Edition

Mouse recommendations for palm, fingertip & claw grip users

Most users use either a palm-, fingertip-, or claw-style grip. That said, some do use a grip that falls somewhere in between. With that said, if you do use a hybrid-style grip, you should consider mice from multiple categories.

For example, if you’re a user like me who uses a relaxed claw or fingertip grip, mice listed under “fingertip grip” and “claw grip” should be on your radar, as it’s likely that mice from either category will work for you.

So, let’s get into the grip-specific recommendations for Counterstrike 2!

Best palm grip mice for Counterstrike 2

Palm grip users tend to rest their palms on the mouse and lay their fingers flat over Mouse 1 and Mouse 2, and as such, mice most suitable for this grip style typically feature an ergonomic shape and a prominent hump towards the middle or the back of the mouse.

The size and placement of this hump can vary between mice, but as a rule, if your hand size is small to medium, you’ll probably be fine with a hump height of at least 37mm. If your hand size is medium to large, 38mm should be the bare minimum.

Below are my palm grip recommendations for Counterstrike 2:

·      Zowie EC Series

·      VAXEE Outset AX

·      Logitech G Pro Superlight

·      Zowie S Series

·      Razer Deathadder V3 Pro

·      VAXEE NP-01

·      Logitech G703

·      Pulsar Xlite V2 Wireless

·      Xtrfy M4 Wireless

·      Logitech G502 X Plus

Best fingertip grip mice for Counterstrike 2

The fingertip grip is arguably the most versatile grip style, as all that’s required is a comfortable position for the user’s fingertips to grip the mouse.

As such, the position and height of the mouse’s hump are mostly irrelevant; however, I do believe weight plays a bigger factor with fingertip grip compared to other grip styles.

Why?

Without the support of the palm, fingertip users must do everything with—you guessed it—their fingertips, which means a heavier mouse will require the fingertips to work harder to maintain a solid grip on the mouse.

As mentioned earlier, I don’t believe weight is much of a factor when it comes to choosing a mouse for Counterstrike 2, but if weight is something that matters to you and you’re a fingertip user, I would try to stay within the 60-70g weight range for your next mouse.

Below are my fingertip grip recommendations for Counterstrike 2:

·      Logitech G Pro Superlight

·      VAXEE XE Wireless

·      Zowie S Series

·      Zowie FK Series

·      Razer Viper V2 Pro

·      Logitech G Pro Wireless

·      Xtrfy MZ1 Wireless

·      Fantech Aria XD7

·      Roccat Burst Pro

·      Endgame Gear XM1r

Best claw grip mice for Counterstrike 2

Claw grip users, like palm grip users, use their palms for added stability when controlling the mouse.

The difference between claw and palm is the point of contact and how users lay their fingers on the mouse.

With a claw grip, only the base of the palm contacts the mouse versus the entire palm, which means that mice with a prominent rear hump are more suitable for claw versus palm.  

Additionally, instead of laying the fingers flat on Mouse 1 and Mouse 2, claw-grip users tend to arch their fingers so that only the tips of their fingers touch the buttons—hence the moniker “claw” grip.

Like the fingertip grip, the claw grip offers a great deal of versatility, as the “claw” position allows one to quickly switch to a fingertip style grip when aiming “up” along the y-axis and then back to claw when aiming “down” the y-axis or along the x-axis.

Below are my top claw-grip picks for Counterstrike 2:

·      Zowie S Series

·      Zowie ZA Series

·      Endgame Gear XMr1

·      Lamzu Atlantis

·      Roccat Burst Pro

·      VAXEE NP-01

·      VAXEE Outset AX

·      Logitech G303 Shroud Edition

·      Logitech G305

·      Cooler Master MM712

A note about hand size

Hand size is an important factor to consider when choosing a mouse for Counterstrike 2, but in my experience, hand size isn’t as important as the mouse’s shape and your style of grip.

That said, if your hand is on one end of the bell curve or the other, you should pay extra close attention to the overall size of the mouse you wish to purchase.

I’m not going to define what a “small” or “large” hand size is, but I will say the following:

·      If your hand is on the smaller side, I would aim for a mouse that has a grip width no greater than 57mm

·      If your hand is on the larger side, I would aim for a mouse that has a grip width that’s at least 60mm

·      If you’re unsure about the size of your hands, focus more on the shapes you like and how they complement your grip style

In Sum

To recap, the perfect mouse for Counterstrike 2 is the one that promotes stability and accuracy when aiming along the x-axis (i.e., aiming left or right).

That said, it’s important to remember that this guide is my subjective opinion, and the recommendations above shouldn’t be taken as gospel.

In the end, you’ll want to try a variety of mice and see how they work for you. If you’re really dedicated, you should take things a step further and measure/track your accuracy with an aim trainer like Aim Lab or KovaaK’s.

Using an aim trainer can help you determine your accuracy “baseline” and how your aim improves or deteriorates when using different shapes and grip styles.

If that sounds like too much work, then it’s best to just pick the mouse that fits your grip style the best and stick with it (so long as it doesn’t cause you any pain).

Alright, that’s enough rambling for today—thanks for reading!

Their latest product, the VAXEE XE Wireless, comes on the heels of a long line of well-received and well-reviewed gaming mice. And truth be told, the VAXEE XE Wireless should be another community favorite; however, I don’t love it, and that bums me out.

On paper, this mouse should be perfect for me: it’s an extremely well-built, ambidextrous mouse featuring near-state-of-the-art wireless tech, awesome clicks, pristine skates, and a great scroll wheel.  

But every time I take it for a spin, my aim feels slightly off, and after 15 minutes or so, I find myself reaching for my trusty Zowie S1.  

So, as always, let’s start with the most important part of any mouse review: the shape.

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VAXEE XE Wireless shape, & dimensions

The VAXEE XE Wireless is an ambidextrous mouse weighing in at 76g, and its dimensions are as follows:

·      Grip width (middle): 61mm

·      Grip width (front): 62mm

·      Grip width (back): 66mm

·      Height: 38mm

·      Length: 122mm

In hand, the VAXEE XE Wireless reminds me of several mice I’ve used in the past, such as the Zowie FK1, HyperX Pulsefire Haste, and the G Pro Superlight.

Of these mice, the Zowie FK1 is probably the closest in terms of shape and feel, which shouldn’t come as a surprise.

VAXEE was started by the founders of Zowie, and if I had to take a guess, I have a feeling the XE was their attempt to update and improve upon the FK1 design.

As we can see, the VAXEE XE Wireless and Zowie FK1 share several similar design features:

·      Flat shape

·      Lack of flare towards the front of the mouse

·      Slight comfort curves in mouse 1 and mouse 2

·      Moderate side grooves for your thumbs

·      A slight flare towards the back of the mouse

There are some slight differences in the design: the FK1 is longer, not as tall, and the hump is a little further back, but to me, the FK1 is still the XE’s closest sibling.

However, the VAXEE XE Wireless feels unwieldy compared to the FK1 due to the combination of its weight, grip shape, and its short, centralized hump.  

This is all subjective, of course, because at 38mm tall, the VAXEE XE Wireless is only 1mm taller than the Zowie FK1; however, the VAXEE XE Wireless feels flatter than the Fk1 due to my grip style (fingertip/relaxed claw).

Indeed, no part of my palm touches the VAXEE XE Wireless unless I grip the mouse towards the front and force it back toward the base of my palm, which doesn’t feel very good at all.

However, due to the length of the FK1, the back of the mouse does contact my palm, which adds a bit of stability in different aiming positions.

As such, the only grip that feels somewhat natural with the VAXEE XE Wireless is a fingertip grip, but it’s still not ideal.  

Why?

Well, it all comes down to the shape of XE Wireless’s sides and its weight.

Flat & bothered

Compared to the Zowie FK series, the sides on the VAXEE XE Wireless are much flatter.

As we can see, the VAXEE XE Wireless comes in slightly above its listed grip width of 61mm. However, as with all mice, the grip width is relative to where you position your thumb. If you hold your mouse closer to the mousepad, the grip width is slightly narrower at 60.18mm.

This isn’t much of a difference, which means the sides of the VAXEE XE Wireless are relatively flat compared to say, the Zowie FK1.

At its maximum grip width, the Zowie FK1 comes in at 60.42mm; however, its minimum grip width is 57.07mm. This delta is much bigger than it is on the VAXEE XE Wireless, which changes how the mouse feels in hand.

So, what does this mean in practice?

A more aggressive inwards flare towards the bottom of a mouse’s grip allows it to “sit” within my grip style, which feels way more natural and comfortable compared to a mouse with flat sides.

This also means that I don’t have to squeeze the mouse as hard to get that “locked-in” feeling.

However, when a mouse has flat sides, I always find myself squeezing it to death just to make sure I have a good grip on it.

This makes mice with flat sides more tiring to use—but that said, the shape of the sides isn’t the only problem.

The issue is when flat sides are combined with a high weight.

Heavy or not

The VAXEE XE Wireless weighs in at approximately 74g, which isn’t heavy, but when you combine its weight with the shape of its sides, the VAXEE XE Wireless can feel cumbersome and exhausting to use.

On the other hand, the flat sides of mice like the G Pro Superlight or the HyperX Pulsefire Haste don’t bother me as much because they’re much lighter.

So, even though I still need to squeeze mice like the G Pro Superlight a bit harder than the FK1, it’s still easier to move around than the VAXEE XE Wireless simply due to the weight difference.

If, however, the VAXEE XE Wireless was closer to 60g in weight, I think my feelings toward this mouse would be totally different.

Who is this mouse for?

Because of the low height, wide grip, and centralized hump, I would say the VAXEE XE Wireless is more suitable for fingertip grip users.

However, I do think the claw and palm grip users will feel right at home with the VAXEE XE Wireless if they hold the mouse closer to the front (at or past the forward thumb button) or if their hand size is somewhere between small and medium.

If, however, you’re like me and hold the mouse closer to the back of the thumb groove (near the back button), I think you’ll have a difficult time using any kind of grip other than a fingertip grip.

The nitty gritty

There’s a lot we haven’t talked about yet when it comes to the VAXEE XE Wireless, including the button feel, scroll wheel, sensor performance, and more.

While these things are important, I’ve always found that lengthy discussions of these components fail to inform me of whether a mouse is going to work for me (hence the babbling above).  

We’ll still talk about them, but I encourage all of you to read TechPowerUp’s review of the VAXEE XE Wireless to get a better understanding of this mouse’s technical specs and components.

Clicks & side buttons

The clicks on the VAXEE XE Wireless are crisp and easy to actuate. There is a moderate amount of pre- and post-travel on my copy, but not enough to be an issue.

The click “feel” between Mouse 1 and Mouse 2 is nearly identical; however, the Mouse 2 on my copy sounds slightly different than Mouse 1.

The side buttons are a little small and placed place a little high for my liking, but overall, they work well and have little pre- and post-travel.

Scroll wheel

The scroll wheel on the VAXEE XE Wireless features a mechanical scroll that VAXEE says is ideal for “work” versus playing video games. I don’t know if this is true or not, but I do know that I like the scroll wheel on the XE Wireless.

The scroll wheel also features a nice, rubberized texture and pronounced grooves, which makes scrolling a very tactile experience.

Actuating the scroll wheel click is easy enough; however, I think I would prefer it was slightly easier to activate.

Overall, the scrolling experience reminds me of the C series scroll wheels from Zowie, but smoother and less noisy.

Build quality

One of the things that put VAXEE on the map was their commitment to building quality mice for esports, and the VAXEE XE Wireless is no different.

I’ve had the VAXEE XE Wireless for about 2 months now, and in that time, it’s held up extremely well.

There are no discernable creaks when squeezing the mouse; however, there is a very slight rattle coming from somewhere inside the mouse, which was noticeable on the day I got it.

Other than that slight nuisance, the VAXEE XE Wireless is a tank, and I do not doubt that it could take years of abuse if it were to be my main mouse moving forward.

Coating

The coating on the VAXEE XE Wireless is grippy and works well with sweaty hands.

Compared to the coating used in mice from Zowie and Logitech, the coating on the VAXEE XE Wireless feels more rubberized and smoother.

Additionally, the coating isn’t as much of a fingerprint magnet compared to Zowie’s offerings, which is nice if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t regularly wipe down their mice.

Mouse feet

The VAXEE XE Wireless features two large front and rear skates with rounded edges. The shape of the skates should prevent the mouse from digging into your mouse pad; however, one thing I noticed is that the skates aren’t perfectly flat.

Indeed, the edges of the skates are slightly taller than the middle of the skates, which means on some surfaces, the entire surface area of the skate might not make good contact.

This probably won’t be an issue on cloth pads, but it could be a factor in how the mouse feels on a hard pad.

Sensor

The VAXEE XE Wireless uses the 3395 sensor, which Vaxee says has been tuned for professional esports players.

They don’t go into a whole lot of details on the site, but I can tell you that the sensor feels “fine”, which is all you really need to know, right?

Okay, maybe not—but if you’re the kind of person that really worries whether the sensor in their mouse is holding them back, you should feel confident about VAXEE’s implementation of the 3395 here.

The 3395 is one of the best sensors on the market, and I have no doubt VAXEE did its due diligence in ensuring the XE Wireless performs at a level that is acceptable for competitive play.

VAXEE even offers a competitive firmware update that can be installed over the original firmware which further enhances the responsiveness of the mouse.

I gave this firmware a whirl, and while the mouse does feel more responsive and “direct”, I eventually went back to the original firmware due to the competitive feeling almost too direct.

Indeed, the out-of-the-box performance of the VAXEE XE Wireless is excellent and should be more than enough for any competitive FPS player.

Other goodies

Some other features of the VAXEE XE Wireless worth noting are the lack of required software needed to control things like polling rate, DPI, lift-off distance, etc., and the ability to use the mouse for two computers.

Indeed, all the buttons required to adjust the VAXEE XE Wireless’s performance can be found on the bottom of the mouse, which is something more mouse manufacturers should implement.

Finally, if you purchase another wireless receiver from VAXEE, you can quickly swap between two computers by pressing both thumb buttons and the function button at the same time.

Instructions on how to pair the VAXEE XE Wireless to two computers can be found at:

Conclusion

The VAXEE XE Wireless is a terrific gaming mouse with excellent build quality and reliable wireless connectivity.

Truth be told if sides on the VAXEE XE Wireless were just a little more tapered near the bottom, I think it would be my primary mouse moving forward.

Indeed, when the mouse does “click” for me, the VAXEE XE Wireless is one of the best-feeling mice I’ve ever used, and if its combination of flat sides and 76g weight don’t bother you, the VAXEE XE Wireless should be on your shopping list if you’re in the market for an ambidextrous wireless mouse.

Of the many problems game designers must solve, teaching the player how to make progress via a specific path looks especially tricky.

Some refer to this as the “happy path”, and for old-school games like Super Mario Bros., communicating which direction to go was probably easy: create a hard barrier to the left, and then pray that the player goes right.

Over time, this design structure becomes a pattern, and after 2-3 levels, the player will most likely start running to the right from the get-go. This also presents the opportunity to hide some goodies to the left, like a free 1-UP or mushroom, which adds another layer of discovery for the player to enjoy.

However, for an open-world game like Elden Ring, designing the happy path, or several, seems far more complicated.  

Sure, the freedom of traversal is what makes playing open-world games so much fun, but players will eventually need to be corralled into a specific path to progress the main story or complete a side quest (unless the game is just an open-world sandbox).

Given all this, the question then becomes: if a player fails to see the happy path, or decides not to take it, was the design inadequate?

Maybe, maybe not.

One example of this disconnect between the happy path and the not-so-happy path occurs early on in Elden Ring:

• https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkxaz15vULrsQXHNiQkGBUnm2bHcqKEYw-5

• https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxCqwdvmeLRzwf7qINj-Oq3TCAoGc69o4O

• https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkxo5pzvGAs8bg3DI8Gq3KGQ2fqgvF8P_8E

• https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkx1V5NE9v6-lNCcxDDoUg2EDgkz1mBRJQ1   

• https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxH4635bQmb6cB2-zX9nA5o1w4orFeHnwh

• https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxUZ-x1Uzu1oLgjRqk1sZyAc1zOOhq0_NN

• https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxPwXGFxN83IYR2WGADS9Z3FCljeRBbXF6

As the clips above show, heading left is a popular option.

And yes, I’m quite aware that not everyone goes left—some players do decide to run straight—but I think you would be hard-pressed to find a player that ran right.

But why? Why is heading left (and straight) so common, but no one seems to want to go right?

Was this intentional? Or an accident of design?

Let’s look to see if we can find some answers.

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Too much to take in

The first moments of Elden Ring’s open world are overwhelming, to say the least:

A lot is going on in this scene, and perhaps that’s the problem.

Tell me, can you decipher the happy path from this screenshot?

At first glance, you might assume that the happy path is forward—towards the site of grace and the person dressed in white.

However, these two elements don’t exactly stand out, and depending on your eyesight or even the calibration of your TV/monitor, you might miss them entirely due to the scene’s color palette.

They call me mellow yellow

Indeed, the site of grace and the person standing next to it is a little hard to see thanks to everything being so yellow.

Granted, this color scheme, when combined with the soundtrack, does imbue the scene with a sense of tension and suspense; however, the drawback is that everything blends together, and I think this is where the problems with discovering the happy path begin.

Now, I’m not saying that this color scheme should be abandoned; on the contrary, I rather like the way this opening area looks. It gives me the feeling of walking around Haddonfield from John Carpenter’s 1978 classic “Halloween”, and check it out, there’s even a guy in a white mask being a total creeper!

But I do wonder if the color palette could be adjusted so that the elements placed in the foreground are a bit easier to differentiate from everything else in the scene.

But the lack of contrast in the scene is only part of the issue, the other part is the path itself.

Deciphering the path

Building a path for the player doesn’t need to be complicated; in fact, I think you’ll find that most game designers prefer to keep it simple.

And truth be told, there are many instances in the world of Elden Ring where the path forward is easy to find.

Indeed, not only do the sites of grace point you in a particular direction, but there are also dirt paths, bridges, stairs, and several other design elements scattered across the open world that make finding the different points of interest less of a hassle.

However, this opening section of Elden Ring features some design decisions that seem to hide the happy path.

From the placement of the site of grace and the person standing next to it, I think it’s safe to assume that the game designers intended for the players to head straight.

Moreover, the person standing next to the site of grace has some valuable information for the player, like where to go, how grace works, and the fact that you’re maidenless (womp womp)—so heading straight seems ideal.

But despite the placement of these elements, players still seem to want to go left.

As mentioned earlier, part of the problem could be the fact that these two elements are difficult to see, but there are some other design quirks at play here:

First, we can see that there isn’t a well-defined path for the player to go from the top of the stairs to the site of grace. This isn’t to say that the path needs to be fenced off or that it needs a giant sign in the shape of a finger pointing where to go, but having some visual cues to tell the player that they should head straight would be useful.

A simple fix could be to eliminate the rocks laid horizontally on the ground and replace them with grass. This path of grass could also have some additional “soft” barriers on the left and right (like taller grass, flowers, or bushes), which should guide players toward the site of grace.

Those bushes above the horrible slab of rock should also be removed or minimized, as I believe they add to the feeling of a hard barrier.

The other reason why players may opt to not go forward, at least not right away, is the fact that the background is so overwhelming.

Help me I’m scared

From the cliff-side castle to the crumbling bridge and the giant golden tree, it’s not hard to understand why many players appear to be frozen in place once they enter the open world.

FromSoftware outdid themselves here; however, I do wonder if perhaps it’s too much for the player to handle, especially when the first point of interest (POI), the site of grace, requires a bit of traversal.

Now, you may be thinking to yourself, traversal? It’s literally right there!

You’re right, of course, but consider the fact that by going left, the player could ultimately never activate this site of grace and instead head south. Elden Ring is an open world after all, and if the player never interacts with this site of grace, it could cause some problems with the overall flow of the game.

Instead, I do wonder if it would’ve been better if the game waited to present this opening vista to players until they had already found this site of grace. On the other hand, maybe the first site of grace just needs to be closer to the stairs.

Regardless, the lack of a clear path combined with the emotional impact of the background is what I believe causes the player to search for a more viable route, which of course, leads us to the decision to go left.

Safety first

When the player eventually looks to the left, what do they see?

First, there does appear to be a well-defined path:

See that game between the small tree and the rock? I believe this to be a clear signal to the player that going left is something that you might want to do.

Furthermore, the fact that there are two eagles in the distance that are almost perfectly framed by this soft path is another indicator that you should head in that direction.

What’s more, this area looks relatively safe—there’s no scary castle looming in the background; there’s no creeper dressed in white; and there’s no golden knight riding a horse.

And those eagles? Well, murdering them was a nice confidence booster, but I digress.

Interestingly, these eagles are also the first “enemies” in the game that the player can lock onto in the open world, which is just another element that pulls the player in.

All this sounds fine and dandy, but here’s the problem: is it really worth going left?

Nothing to see here, or is there?

Sure, there are some materials to gather, some eagles to kill, and a nice view of the ocean, but that’s about it.

Granted, the view of the ocean is revealing:

This in itself may be enough to justify the player going left; however, there’s still the issue of making first contact with the site of grace and the person standing next to it.

And while allowing players to miss things is practically a FromSoftware specialty, I do think special consideration needs to be paid to the opening of video games so that players don’t miss key interactions.

And to be frank, I think FromSoftware would agree—they did, after all, modify the intro of their game to include a pop-up message telling players about the tutorial section.

Before this message was added, many players (myself included), completely missed the tutorial, but it didn’t matter too much since I already had played Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls 1, 2, and 3.

As such, allowing the player to miss the open world’s first site of grace and the conversation with the masked man seems like a miss.

And I have to ask, is a view of the beach and the island off in the distance enough to warrant this little area?

The game starts with an overwhelming view of Elden Ring’s impressive open world, and the fact that going left leads to another vista of sorts seems like a weird redundancy.

Gameplay is all about pacing and variety, and sandwiching two identical gameplay mechanics back to back feels odd to me.

Almost finished, I promise

Let’s take a quick look at a game that I think handles the happy path a little better:

Notice anything?

Finding the happy path in BOTW, at least in this opening section, is a little easier due to several factors.

Aside from the game telling you where to go via a forced in-game cinematic, there’s a little less clutter on the ground, which makes it easier to decipher which path to take.

What’s more, the campfire, unlike the site of grace in Elden Ring, really pops and is easily distinguishable from the environment.

Additionally, there’s not a whole lot to distract the player in this opening area: sure, there are some trees to climb, but there are several hard barriers that push the player towards the campfire (e.g., the cliffside and mountains).  

Interestingly, if the player does decide to go left, they’re greeted with some mushrooms, which is the same trick Nintendo has been doing since the 80s and early 90s.

So, even if the developers included alternative paths that would allow players to bypass this interaction, I think players would have a more intuitive understanding of where they need to go to make progress.

Why no one goes right

One more thing: I mentioned earlier that no one in the opening section of Elden Ring goes right, but I didn’t give a reason why.

I think the reason for this is clear enough: the bushes shown below create a hard barrier for players that discourages them from going right:

Additionally, the position of the building you come out of, in relation to the plateau it sits on, means that the camera is physically limited as to how much it can show you.

Finally, the fact that there’s a golden knight riding a horse down the only visible path to the right is a huge detriment to heading in that direction.

In Sum

Elden Ring is easily one of the greatest games I’ve ever played; however, I think it’s worth looking at these kinds of issues.

The opening moments of a video game tend to leave a huge impact on the player, so making sure every little detail is perfect is worth it in my book.

This is especially true for the Soulsborne games, as the difficulty is a major component of the experience.

I can’t help but think of the opening moments of Dark Souls 1 and ask myself, how many players gave up after heading toward the skeleton graveyard?

Would the game be better if FromSoftware made it clearer that players should head toward Undead Burg first?

And believe me, I love the fact that the Soulsborne games are difficult, but smoothing out some of the rough edges to finding the happy path will go a long way to keeping players of all skill levels engaged.

Shopping for a new gaming mouse can be a lot of fun, but it can also be a complete headache. With so many choices available on the market, knowing where to start or what to buy can be tricky.

But rest assured, there is a mouse for you, and with a little bit of trial and error, you can find that mouse quickly and painlessly.

So, let’s get to it!

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Picking a Shape

When it comes to picking a gaming mouse, the shape just might be the most important characteristic to consider. If there’s anything that I’d hope my readers learn from this article, it’s that shape truly trumps everything else.

Gaming mice typically come in two shapes: ergonomic and ambidextrous—and if you’re just starting, picking between these two shapes can be tricky.

My advice would be to visit your local electronics store to see if they have any mice on display for you to try.  

A store like Best Buy, for example, will probably be your best bet if you’re interested in mice from Logitech and Razer.

Of course, “trying out” a mouse in a retail store isn’t the best solution: to get a feel if a mouse is going to work for you, you’ll need to take it home and give it a whirl in your favorite game.

Luckily, all retail stores (that I know of) have return policies, so if you can buy both an ambidextrous and an ergonomic shape to try out, then we recommend that you do so.

To help you get started, below are some of the best ergonomic and ambidextrous mice on the market:

Ergonomic Recommendations

·       Zowie EC Series

·       Logitech G502 X Plus

·       Razer Deathadder V3

·       Vaxee Outset

Ambidextrous Recommendations

·       Razer Viper

·       Logitech G Pro Superlight

·       Zowie S Series

·       Zowie FK Series

·       Vaxee XE

·       Endgame Gear XM2we

What About Grip?

Without diving into too many details, grip style does play an important role in picking a mouse, but when you’re just starting, you might not even know what kind of grip you prefer.

However, if you’re currently using an office mouse for hours on end at work or school, and the shape seems to suit you, consider picking a gaming mouse that is similarly shaped.

Once you have an idea of what kind of grip you prefer, your choices should become a little clearer. For a better understanding of your grip style, below is a short breakdown of the 3 most common grip types:

Palm Grip

Users of the Palm Grip tend to rest their entire palm on the mouse, with their fingers sometimes laying completely flat on the mouse buttons. Mice that allow for this grip usually feature a hump at the back or in the middle of the mouse, and what’s more, they’re usually larger in scale; however, this is relative to the user’s hand—so even a “small” mouse can be “palmable” if the user’s hand is also small.

Below are some great choices for palm grip users:

·       Zowie EC Series

·       Zowie S Series

·       Zowie ZA Series

·       Razer Deathadder V3

·       Vaxee Outset

·       Logitech G502 X Plus

·       Glorious Model D

·       Logitech G Pro Superlight

Fingertip Grip

Users of the fingertip grip control their mouse with their fingertips and nothing else. Typically, fingertip grip users can get away with using a variety of mice because it doesn’t necessarily matter how long or how tall the mouse is because only their fingertips will be controlling the mouse.

For me, the best fingertip mice usually don’t have a pronounced hump and are rather flat throughout.

Fingertip mice recommendations are as follows:

·       Zowie S Series

·       Glorious Model O

·       Logitech G Pro Superlight

·       Logitech G305

·       Razer Viper

·       Zowie FK Series

Claw Grip

The Claw Grip is a kind of hybrid between the Palm and Fingertip grip, as the mouse will contact the user’s palm; however, instead of the user’s fingers laying flat on the mouse, they will grip the mouse in the same style that a fingertip user would—hence the “claw” moniker.

Mice that are suited for this grip style are typically shorter in length and feature a hump at the back of the mouse for the user’s palm to rest on. Mice that have their hump in the middle of the mouse also work, it just depends on the user’s preferences.  

Recommendations for Claw Grip users:

·       Zowie S Series

·       Logitech G Pro Superlight

·       Logitech G305

·       Endgame Gear XM2we

·       Vaxee NP-01

·       Roccat Brust Pro

How Do You Know if a Mouse is Right for You?

First and foremost, a gaming mouse should never hurt your hand, especially within the first hour or so of use. In short, a gaming mouse should “feel” right from the get-go, that is, it doesn’t distract you from playing. Indeed, the right gaming mouse should feel like an extension of your hand—not something that you’re fighting to maintain control of.

This is especially true if your shiny new mouse is causing you hand pain. If a mouse is causing you any kind of hand discomfort, especially within the first few minutes of use, return the damned thing immediately. And I don’t care if the mouse is helping you aim well—a mouse that is causing you pain can cause serious, long-term damage to your and. Speaking from personal experience, I’ve tried to tough it out before, and the result wasn’t pretty. My hand was so inflamed that I couldn’t even make a fist.

However, if you’re pulling an all-day gaming session and your hand is feeling sore, that probably has less to do with the shape of the mouse and more to do with not taking breaks.

In summary, comfort trumps all, and even if you don’t aim well at first, sick with it: your aim will improve over time.

How to Pick a Gaming Mouse: Other Considerations

Besides shape, there are several other features and characteristics that gamers should be aware of, including:

·       Sensor

·       Polling rate

·       Weight

·       Size

·       Software

·       Button switch type

·       Wired vs wireless

·       Type of game

·       Your sweaty, disgusting hand

And while all these attributes are important, I’ve found that they come secondary to shape, grip, and feel.

Sensor

Next to shape, the sensor is the 2^nd most important part of choosing a gaming mouse, as having a top-performing sensor can make a world of difference.

That isn’t to say that you couldn’t get used to a “bad” sensor; after all, a quick search on YouTube for old-school frag videos will show some incredible feats, and I can assure you that not everyone in those days was using a “perfect” sensor.

But it does make a difference—so much of a difference that you’d be hard-pressed to find a competitive gamer that doesn’t at least use a Pixart 3310 or a 3360 variant.

Shape does trump all when it comes to gaming mice, but if you’re interested in competitive FPS titles like CS:GO or Valorant, you might as well pick a mouse with a great sensor.

In 2023, these are the sensors to beat:

·       3370

·       3395

·       3389

·       Logitech HERO 16k Sensor

·       Focus Pro 30k Optical Sensor

To know what sensor you’re buying, you’ll need to read the back of the box or visit the mouse’s product page to read its specifications.

One final note about sensors: if you currently own a gaming mouse and have been using it for a while, pay attention to where the sensor is positioned on the bottom of the mouse.

While it doesn’t really seem like a big deal, the position of the sensor can play a significant role in how a mouse feels and plays. In general, gaming mice will typically have their sensors positioned in line with the thumb groove on the side. However, this isn’t always the case: sometimes the sensor is just above this point or below it.

So, take a look at your mouse: if the sensor position is in line with your thumb, you’ll probably want to find a mouse that is constructed in the same manner; otherwise, getting a mouse with a different sensor position might take some time getting used to, and if you’re like me, adjusting your muscle memory can be a huge pain in the you know what.

Polling rate

There’s not a whole lot to say about polling rate, other than the fact that you’ll want a mouse capable of at least 1000Hz.

That said, Razer does offer an 8000Hz dongle, which should provide an appreciable improvement over 1000Hz.

Size

Many of you who are familiar with shopping for mice might find it unusual that size is so far down this list—but allow me to explain.

As a fingertip/claw grip user, I’ve never found the size of a mouse to be an issue per se; the shape and feel of a mouse are generally what I react to the most, followed by the weight.

Logic would say that if you have a bigger hand, a large mouse would be more ideal; however, as someone with medium to large hands, large mice have never really “done it” for me. On the flip side, my wife, who has much smaller hands than I do, prefers to use the Logitech G502 X Plus, which as many of you know, is quite the behemoth in both size and weight.

That being said, the size of a mouse does play a role, and for you, it might be the most important, but I would implore all of you to consider the shape and feel of a mouse first as opposed to shopping solely on size.  

Weight

Thanks to FinalMouse, weight has become a controversial subject. Whenever a new mouse is announced, the first thing that many gamers ask is how much it weighs.

And, thanks again to FinalMouse, it seems that any mouse over 90 grams is simply a non-starter.

But does weight really matter all that much?

Truth be told, like high-end sensors, it does, and it doesn’t.

Can you be a professional gamer with a mouse that weighs over 100g? Sure. Will using a mouse that is feather-light help your aim? Maybe.

So how do you choose?

Well, if weight is really a big deal to you, consider this question: are you a low or high-sensitivity gamer?

If you’re a high-sensitivity gamer, you’re probably going to want a relatively heavy mouse (90-110 grams). This is because a heavier mouse will be more stable and easier to control at high sensitivity.

If you’re more of a low-sensitivity gamer that uses a large mouse pad, you’re probably going to be happier with a mouse that is as light as possible. Don’t know if you’re a high or low-sensitivity gamer? Play it safe and pick a mouse between 80 and 90 grams.

Software

While not usually a big deal, the software can play a role in choosing the right mouse.

Personally, I’ve never been a fan of mouse software: most of the time, it’s simply not good enough.

For example, Razer Synapse gets a lot of flak, and I have to say that I agree. I recently started trying out the Death Adder Elite again and having to install and operate Synapse was not a pleasant experience.

As a matter of fact, running synapse in the background (for some reason) automatically enabled Chroma Sync (?) while I was trying to play Doom 2016, which caused the game to lag and drop frames.

Unfortunately, it took me quite a while to try and figure this out, leaving me to reinstall a bunch of drivers and even reinstall the game before I realized it was this Chroma Sync that was ruining my experience.

On the other hand, I’ve never had a problem with SteelSeries or Logitech, but as an individual who likes to regularly swap out their mice, seeing 3-4 mouse applications running in the background is kind of annoying.   

So, if you’re the kind of user who would rather not bother with mouse software, I would recommend a mouse from either Zowie, Vaxee, Finalmouse, Dream Machines, or Glorious.

Button Type

Gaming mice typically come equipped with three kinds of button switches: Omron, Huano, and Optical.

Omron switches are the most common switches that you’ll come across, and they’re known for their light, responsive clicks.

Huano, on the other hand, are stiffer and more tactile, which can be off-putting at first but are great for first-person shooters that don’t require a lot of jitter clicking. With enough practice, you can certainly click fast with Huano switches, but it will require more effort than an Omron switch.

Optical switches, in my experience, sound hollow and kind of clunky; however, they’re still easily spammable and provide acceptable feedback. The benefit of optical switches is that you should get a more reliable click activation at a lower latency.

There are only a few companies that feature optical switches in their high-end gaming mice (e.g., Razer, Roccat, Logitech, etc.), so they’re not as ubiquitous as say, Omron switches.  

Wired or Wireless

For competitive gaming, the choice used to be simple: wired all the way.

However, thanks to advancements in wireless technology, wireless gaming is almost non-distinguishable from wired gaming.

That said, wireless mice tend to cost more too, so if you don’t mind a cable, wired is still the way to go.

Game Type

The game you play can play a huge role in the mouse you choose…sort of.

If you’re an avid player of first-person shooters, you’ll want to stay away from more MOBA or MMORPG-focused mice like the Logitech G600 for example. See those buttons on the sides? Yea, those buttons will prevent you from obtaining a secure grip on the mouse, which is what you’ll need for precise aiming.

On the other hand, if you are an MMORPG player, then the G600 might be perfect for you. If you play a range of games, then something like Logitech G502 X Plus would probably be ideal (if you don’t care about the weight that is).

Hand Sweat

If you have sweaty hands, you’ll want to pick a mouse that has enough grip. And when I say grip, I don’t mean mice that have rubberized grips on the side; in fact, many of these grips can exacerbate the issues associated with playing with sweaty hands.

Take, for instance, the old Steelseries Sensei 310: though comfortable, this mouse features rubberized sides that are 100% incompatible with sweaty hands. Indeed, sweat on this mouse simply just hangs out on the surface of these rubberized sides, making them feel slick, oily, and downright gross.

This was a major problem for me when playing games like PUBG because the mouse felt like a slippery bar of soap by the final circle, which wasn’t very confidence inspiring.

If you have sweaty hands, consider mice that have a matte finish, like the Logitech G Pro Superlight or any of the mice from Zowie, as the matte coating on these mice is perfect for absorbing sweat.

This isn’t to say that all rubberized textures are bad; in fact, the new Razer Viper has rubberized sides, and so far, it’s handled my sweaty hands like a boss. Why is the Razer Viper different? I’m not entirely sure, but the rubberized sides do appear to have a rougher, matte texture to them, so that might be the reason.

The point here is that rubberized or not, if you have sweaty hands, the side textures of the mouse need to have some sort of matte finish; otherwise, you’ll have a hard time maintaining grip and achieving consistent, reliable aim.

My Giant Wrinkle

Thanks for reading this guide on how to choose a mouse for gaming, and I hope that the information above was useful. It’s a lot of information—maybe too much information—but sometimes it helps to really think about what makes a gaming mouse “work” instead of just buying the first thing you see.

I hate to say it, but matchmaking sucks.

It really does, and there’s nothing that you or anyone else can say about it that will change my mind.

In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever been more certain of a thing in my life.

Yup, that’s it.

Thanks for reading, stop by anytime!

Alright, listen, if you really want to talk about it, there’s a lot to go over here, so buckle in.

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But why?

In short, matchmaking sucks because having someone or something tell you what to do always sucks.

As the player, I should be in control 100% of the time—no exceptions.

Let me find fun. Let me find the experiences worth having. Let me find a home that feels right for me.

I mean really, let’s transpose modern-day matchmaking to something more relatable, like going out drinking with your pals on Friday night.

However, before you can peruse through the establishments, you must first check in with some bar-finding attendant holding a clipboard.  

This attendant looks over your group for a second, laughs, then hands you a ticket.

The ticket grants you entry to a specific bar and only that bar.

And once your group finishes their drink, the bar kicks you out, and you must start the whole process over again.

Sounds kind of lame, doesn’t it? Wouldn’t you want to look around and vibe-check each place before deciding? And wouldn’t you want to stay at the bar just a little longer if you were having the time of your life?

Well, that’s exactly how matchmaking works and that’s why it sucks.

Tell us how you really feel

To be fair, I’m not saying that video games shouldn’t have matchmaking. What I’m saying is that, in addition to matchmaking, players should have the ability to decide where and how they experience the game.

You see, by not letting players make these decisions, you’re limiting their ability to socialize, build communities, and have new, unexpected experiences.

This might sound counterintuitive; after all, many players, game designers, and developers would argue that matchmaking allows for these kinds of interactions.

But for someone like me, it doesn’t.

And I can’t be the only one who feels this way. And even if I am, so what?

Maybe I deserve to be happy too.

So, what am I proposing? What’s the answer to all these problems?

In short, the answer is private dedicated servers.

Huh?

Ah yes, dedicated servers—everyone’s favorite topic.

For the uninitiated, a dedicated server is a “place” on the internet (like a website) where users can meet up and play a video game. Dedicated servers usually have no other purpose other than serving as a host (hence the designator “dedicated”).  

And yes, I understand that modern FPS games use dedicated servers, but the dedicated servers found in games like Valorant, Overwatch, COD, etc., etc., are not the dedicated servers I’m referring to.

No, what I’m referring to are the private dedicated servers found in games like CS:GO, TF2, and the like.

What’s the difference?

The private dedicated servers found in games like CS:GO and TF2 are persistent, meaning they’re always on and always available to the user, even if the server is empty.

Moreover, the owners or administrators can customize their servers to their liking: from the map pool and game modes to a bunch of other settings that can drastically affect how users play the game.

These dedicated servers are also accessible through a browser that allows players to not only see several servers at once but also filter and sort them based on different conditions (e.g., player count, ping, game mode, etc., etc.).

However, in games like Overwatch, the dedicated servers are not always available to the user and there are no administrators.

And once the session is over, the user is removed from the server and thrown back into the matchmaking system.

Sound familiar?

And before y’all start having a panic attack, I am quite aware that users can create custom games in Overwatch; however, these servers are not persistent and lack in-depth customization options.  

These distinctions are important for reasons we’ll get into later, but just know that the custom game experience offered in Overwatch is a half-measure—it doesn’t solve the issues like community building, socializing, and all that other stuff I mentioned earlier.

So, how do private dedicated servers solve all these issues?

Glad you asked.

Into the void and back again

I don’t know about you, but making friends has always been difficult for me.

Why?

Because I’m a classic introvert and it takes me a while to warm up to different environments, people, etc.

As such, clicking on any sort of “matchmaking” button is kind of a drag for me. Why?

Well, there are several reasons:

First, matchmaking is stressful. It’s not that I don’t like playing with people, and it’s not like I can’t handle stress, but I don’t want to be immediately thrown into a situation where people are depending on me to—you know—not muck things up, especially if I’m new to the game.

Second, people are jerks. Period.  

When things go wrong, it’s not uncommon for verbal and textual harassment to occur, and although some developers say they’re trying to crack down on this sort of thing, it’s probably never going away.

And even when things go right, the matches are usually so short that there’s really no time to get to know one another.

And once it’s over, you’ll probably never see those players ever again—you know, cause that attendant loitering on the corner takes his job way too seriously.

This dynamic makes the whole matchmaking experience feel quite lonely.

On the other hand, a private dedicated server makes it much easier for me to interact with others.

Why?

Remember that whole thing about private dedicated servers being persistent?

When a private dedicated server is persistent, it means that the server is up and running 24/7. This means that, if I find a server that I like and has a good vibe, I can favorite it and return to the server at another time.

This also means other players can do the same, which allows for private dedicated servers to have “regulars”, which is great if you’re the kind of person who takes a while to warm up to others.

Indeed, most of the online acquaintances I’ve met online have occurred through private dedicated servers.

The whole process usually breaks down like this:

• I find a server I like

• I play there for hours on end

• I try to be one of the “better” players on the server

• Other people start to remember me

• I strike up a conversation with one of the regulars or vice versa

• Friendship ❤️

This process of making friends feels much more organic and genuine, which is a necessity for me.

Indeed, before I even open my mouth or say something in chat, the regulars already know me, and that’s usually a good foundation for forming a friendly relationship.

And even if I never speak or interact with these regulars, it’s still nice to see a familiar “face” on the server. I mean, there are Quake and Counterstrike servers that I play on and have played on for over a decade simply because the server has a strong community of dedicated regulars.

Anyways, if you’re still reading this, thanks for indulging me on this topic.

There is one more thing I want to talk about though, and it’s called emergent gameplay potential.

The hell is emergent gameplay potential?

Let’s try another analogy.

Look, do you remember what it was like to be a kid? Do you remember what it was like to simply play?

To a kid, a playground isn’t just a slide, monkey bars, swings, etc., etc. A playground could be anything. It could be a pirate ship, a fort, a hide ‘n seek arena, or even a place to sit and quietly have an existential crisis.

And it’s this emergent quality of the playground that is missing in modern FPS tiles.

Nowadays, our playgrounds feel like they’re littered with clipboard-holding jerks tasked with enforcing a bunch of unnecessary rules and restrictions.

That slide that you used as a portal between heaven and hell? Nope, sorry, that’s no longer how we do things here at Playground Inc., there are rules to be followed, quotas to be met, etc., etc.

Please keep your imagination to yourselves during your stay.

Indeed, playing modern FPS games feels just as restrictive, and to make things worse, it’s painfully clear that games are transforming into giant conversion funnels, and the funnel is getting wider and deeper with every update.  

This all sounds very dramatic I admit, but this is how games are built these days.  

There’s simply not enough freedom to enjoy a game outside of how the developers intended.

For example, in a game like Valorant, there’s no such thing as a private dedicated server hosting a surf map or a custom game mode with zombies.

However, in a game like CS:GO, these kinds of dedicated servers exist, and I believe it’s this dynamic that has allowed Counterstrike to thrive for over 20 years.

This may not have been what the developers wanted, but the biggest and most transformative games in the industry have come out of the modding community, including Counterstrike, PUBG, DOTA, Team Fortress, and more.

Speaking of more

Once you decide on which dedicated server to join, there’s really no telling what might happen next.  

Sure, you might join a server where the game mode is humans vs. zombies, but if there happens to be an administrator on the server, you might suddenly find that you not only have to contend with zombies but also gravity.

That’s right, that horde of zombies trying to tear you to pieces might take flight at any second, and if the server happens to have sv_alltalk enabled (an option that allows microphone communication between teams), the chaos might be set to your favorite copyrighted tunes.

Private dedicated servers also allow you to join a persistent server even if the server is empty.

This feature allows players to explore the map or test their settings all by their lonesome without anyone trying to kill them.

However, there’s always the chance that someone else might join the server, and this is where things really start to get interesting.

I can’t tell you how many empty servers I found myself in as a kid, then out of the blue, someone else joins. And every single time, it was an experience. Sometimes it turned into a high-stakes, 1v1 situation, other times, it turned into a simple game of hide ‘n seek.

Or, if I happened to be practicing a rocket jump or something of that nature, the other player might join in and perhaps teach me something new—or I would be the one doing the teaching.

Indeed, all these examples have an emergent quality to them, meaning that the gameplay experience can suddenly evolve in interesting and unexpected ways.

I’ve had too many of these encounters to talk about them at length but trust me when I say it was a lot of fun.

This emergent quality is also a great way to make a friend, as there’s something quite special about bonding over something new and interesting with another human being.

So, what now?

Look, it’s not like I’m trying to get anyone to sign a petition or write their local representative—all I’m asking is that we try to consider the needs of players like me.

I’m not that unique, so there must be a few of us out there who would like to see dedicated private servers make a comeback in some shape or form.

So, if you’re a developer, game designer, or project manager, and you’ve made it this far, consider the fact that many of us would rather peruse than be directed where to go.

Don’t shove us into a crowded room with a bunch of jabronis looking to get wasted.

Some of us just want to wander the streets late at night with a comfortable buzz, praying for the unexpected to suddenly sweep us away.

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