A new custom game mode for Counter-Strike 2 is turning heads across the competitive scene, because it basically lets players experience a “VALORANT-style” version of Counter-Strike.
Called Project Phoenix, the experimental mode was created by modder Orel Stealth in collaboration with tournament organiser ESL.
In collaboration with @ESLCS, we made a new gamemode for @CounterStrike:
PROJECT PHOENIX🐦🔥Traditional 5v5, but with 10 unique abilities!
That was a fun ride making this one! https://t.co/gY9X6XhrrR
— Orel (@OrelStealth) March 13, 2026
The twist is simple but dramatic. It keeps the traditional 5v5 Counter-Strike format, but introduces ten unique abilities that players can use during matches.
For long-time Counter-Strike fans, it’s about as close as the game has ever come to a hero-shooter experience.
What Project Phoenix Changes In Counter-Strike 2
At its core, Project Phoenix still follows the classic tactical structure players expect from Counter-Strike.
Teams play a standard 5v5 match, but before the game begins players select two abilities. One ability can be used on each side during the match, adding a layer of strategy that normally doesn’t exist in Counter-Strike’s purely equipment-based gameplay.
The abilities themselves lean heavily into hero-shooter style mechanics, including teleportation, scouting tools, movement boosts, and healing powers.
Some of the abilities available in the mode include:
- Teleport, which instantly moves the player a medium distance
- Scout, which spawns a chicken that marks enemies through walls
- Olofboost, creating a solid wall players can use for cover or elevation
- Hunden, placing a camera that tags enemies
- Dash, letting players quickly burst in any direction
- Undertaker, which heals teammates and can revive an ally with its ultimate ability
- No Fear, which heals damage from molotov fire and can bring a player back after ten seconds
- L Vape, deploying a toxic cloud
- VAC, restricting enemy movement
- Fake Flash, spawning a fake player that blinds attackers
Players can also quickly swap abilities during warmup using the in-game chat command.
The overall result is something that feels far closer to VALORANT than traditional Counter-Strike.
ESL Testing The Mode With Pro Teams
The mode isn’t just a community experiment. ESL has already produced gameplay videos showcasing professional teams trying Project Phoenix.
One video features FaZe Clan facing Team Spirit in the custom mode.
While another shows Natus Vincere taking on FURIA Esports.
The chaotic gameplay clearly caught the players off guard. During one match, FaZe in-game leader Finn “karrigan” Andersen joked that he might start a career in VALORANT after experimenting with the abilities.
Meanwhile, FURIA in-game leader Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo laughed during the match and called the mode “CS 3.0”.
The Counter-Strike Community Is Loving The Idea
Early reactions from fans have been surprisingly positive.
Many viewers joked that ESL had accidentally created a new version of Counter-Strike entirely. One comment on the gameplay video joked that while everyone else is playing CS2, ESL appears to be testing “CS3”.
Others immediately compared the concept to VALORANT’s hero abilities, with some joking that pro teams were getting a preview of Riot’s tactical shooter inside Counter-Strike itself.
Some fans even suggested that the mode would be perfect for live showmatches at esports events, where the unpredictable abilities could make for entertaining arena moments.
How To Play Project Phoenix Yourself
The mode is already available through the Steam Workshop.
The Project Phoenix download currently sits at just under 100 MB and has attracted thousands of players shortly after release, with more than 12,000 unique visitors and over 6,000 subscribers so far.
Players who want to try it can connect to a public server using the console command provided by the creators.
Just put this ‘connect 51.77.68.93:27030’ in the console.
Because it’s a community mod rather than an official update, the mode currently exists purely as a custom experience rather than something built directly into Counter-Strike 2.
Still, it’s an interesting glimpse at what Counter-Strike might look like if abilities ever became part of the core gameplay.
For now though, Project Phoenix remains exactly what it was designed to be, a fun experiment that blends Counter-Strike’s classic tactical format with the chaotic creativity of a hero shooter.