5Stack

What 5Stack is

5Stack is a free, open-source platform for running Counter-Strike 2 competitions on infrastructure you host. It brings together server provisioning, matchmaking, tournaments, player statistics, match replays, broadcasts, and community moderation. Players can queue for 1v1, 2v2, or 5v5 games; regional matching checks latency and supports parties. Organizers can run Single Elimination, Double Elimination, Round Robin, or Swiss tournaments, with multi-stage brackets and seasonal leagues also available. Match analysis includes economy breakdowns, clutches, roles, heatmaps, and movement paths. Replays include browser-based 2D and 3D views, in-browser demo playback, and automatic highlight reels. Broadcasts can use a Stream Deck, scoreboard overlays, a public watch hub, and picture-in-picture. Integrations include Discord, Valve and FACEIT match imports, and Twitch, YouTube, and Kick as external streaming sources. Personal API keys provide GraphQL access to a user's match and player data, and can be revoked. Administrators can restrict live stream access and set minimum roles for streaming or spectating. 5Stack documents automatic database backups and a dashboard for backup status and history. It is self-hosted only: users need a Linux server and a domain, and the hosting infrastructure is their cost. An NVIDIA GPU on a native Linux host is required for in-browser demo playback, live streaming, and highlight and clip rendering.

Who it suits

5Stack is suited to gaming communities, Discord servers, tournament and league operators, server hosts, schools, organizations, and LANs that want to run Counter-Strike 2 competitions themselves. It fits teams that can provide Linux hosting and, for specified playback, streaming, and rendering features, an NVIDIA GPU on a native Linux host.

Limits

The free plan is self-hosted, so users pay for their hosting infrastructure. In-browser demo playback, live streaming, and highlight and clip rendering require an NVIDIA GPU on a native Linux host.

Getting started

1. Visit the 5Stack website and review its documentation.
2. Provide a Linux server and a domain for self-hosting.
3. Set up an NVIDIA GPU on a native Linux host for in-browser demo playback, live streaming, and highlight and clip rendering.
4. Use the documentation's Discord channel for questions and help.

Verdict

Choose 5Stack if you want free, open-source Counter-Strike 2 competition tools and can host the platform yourself. Its matchmaking, tournament management, analysis, and broadcast features cover community and organized play. Look elsewhere if you need a hosted or managed service, or cannot meet the stated hosting and GPU requirements.