Counter-Strike 2’s Bizarre ‘Michael Jackson Peek’

Competitive shooter players have always sought creative ways to gain an advantage over their opponents. In the world of Valve’s Counter-Strike 2, a peculiar method has emerged, known as the ‘Michael Jackson peek’, and the name is quite fitting. This maneuver triggers an unusual animation glitch, causing the player’s character to perform the iconic, gravity-defying lean made famous by Michael Jackson in his “Smooth Criminal” music video.

So, what exactly is this ‘Michael Jackson peek,’ and how is it executed? The process involves setting up keybinds that, when pressed, activate movement in a particular direction while simultaneously triggering controller bindings to move in the opposite direction. This combination of actions creates the quirky animation bug that results in the character leaning at a seemingly impossible angle.

The Michael Jackson peek quickly gained attention after clips of it started circulating on Reddit and social media platforms. One player even went a step further by creating a Michael Jackson config, allowing anyone to perform the peek using their keyboard.

Naturally, the internet being what it is, memes and humorous videos related to the ‘CS2 Michael Jackson peek’ began to flood social media, providing a good laugh for the gaming community.

It’s worth noting that the Michael Jackson peek is clearly not an intended gameplay feature, and it’s highly likely that Valve, the developer behind Counter-Strike 2, will patch it out in a future update. Until then, players should be cautious of these smooth criminals using this bizarre peek technique.

Counter-Strike 2 has faced some challenges since its launch. Recently, Valve ceased support for the game on Macs and older hardware due to dwindling player numbers. The user review rating on Steam for CS2 is currently labeled as “mixed,” although overall reviews remain “very positive.” This mixed reception partly results from Valve’s decision to essentially replace CS:GO with CS2, a move reminiscent of Blizzard’s controversial shift from Overwatch to Overwatch 2. Additionally, CS2 players have expressed disappointment over the absence of features that were available in its predecessor, CS:GO.

Wesley serves as the UK News Editor for IGN. You can find him on Twitter at @wyp100. For inquiries or confidential messages, you can contact Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or wyp100@proton.me.