If you’re grinding Counter-Strike 2 on FACEIT, watching your demos is one of the best ways to improve. But unlike in CS:GO, where demo playback was straightforward, CS2 makes things a bit trickier. If you’re wondering how to watch FACEIT demos in CS2, here’s how I do it.
Step 1: Download the Demo from FACEIT
First, you need the demo file. Here’s how to get it:
- Go to FACEIT’s website and log in.
- Click on your match history (under the “Matches” tab).
- Select the match you want to review.
- Scroll down and look for the “Download GOTV Demo” button.
- Download the
.demfile to your PC.
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Step 2: Move the Demo to the Right Folder
CS2 doesn’t let you open demos from anywhere—you need to place the file in the correct directory.
- Find your CS2 game folder. It’s usually located at:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\game\csgo - Move the
.demfile into thecsgofolder.
Step 3: Open the Demo in CS2
Now it’s time to load up the demo in-game.
- Launch CS2 and open the console (
~key).- If the console isn’t enabled, go to Settings > Game > Enable Developer Console and turn it on.
- In the console, type:
playdemo your_demo_nameReplaceyour_demo_namewith the actual name of the.demfile (don’t include.demin the command).
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Demo Playback Controls in CS2
Unlike CS:GO’s full demo UI, CS2 is currently lacking proper controls. You’ll have to use console commands to navigate:
- Pause/Resume →
demo_pause/demo_resume - Speed Up / Slow Down →
demo_timescale X(e.g.,demo_timescale 2for 2x speed) - Skip Forward →
demo_gototick X(replace X with a tick number)
There’s no easy fast-forward or rewind (yet), so skipping through demos can be a pain.
Alternative => Use FACEIT Highlights
If you just want to review key moments without watching the whole demo, FACEIT’s Matchroom Highlights can help:
- Go to your match page on FACEIT.
- Click on Highlights to view key moments automatically clipped from your game.
It’s not as detailed as watching the full demo, but it’s a quick way to analyze your performance.
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Final Thoughts
FACEIT demos in CS2 aren’t as easy to watch as they were in CS:GO, but with a little setup, you can still review your matches. Hopefully, Valve adds better demo tools soon, but until then, this method works.
Want to skip the hassle? Just record your games with OBS—it’s a solid backup while we wait for better demo support in CS2.
FAQs
To play a FACEIT demo in CS2, download the .dem file from your match page on the FACEIT website. Move it to your CS2 game folder (steamapps/common/Counter-Strike Global Offensive/game/csgo), then launch CS2 and open the console. Type playdemo demo_name (without .dem) to start playback.
CS2’s demo system is limited compared to CS:GO. To watch a demo, place the .dem file in your csgo folder, open CS2, enable the console, and use the command playdemo demo_name. There’s no built-in UI for playback, so you’ll need console commands like demo_pause, demo_timescale X, and demo_gototick X to navigate.
CS2 doesn’t have a round-skip feature, so you have to manually jump using ticks. First, play the demo with playdemo demo_name, then use demo_gototick X to skip to a specific moment. If you don’t know the exact tick, you may need to fast-forward using demo_timescale X and pause when you reach the right round.
FACEIT doesn’t allow live spectating of ongoing matches unless you’re in a tournament with an official spectator slot. However, you can watch a completed match by downloading the GOTV demo from your match history and playing it in CS2 using the playdemo command.
