Counter-Strike 2 is Valve’s free-to-play competitive first-person shooter and the successor to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Two teams, Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists, play rounds built around planting or defusing a bomb, with an in-round economy for buying weapons and equipment. The only official way to get it on PC is through Steam.
Who it suits
- Players who enjoy tactical, round-based team shooters where aim and teamwork matter more than character abilities.
- Former CS:GO players, since CS2 replaced CS:GO on the same Steam page.
The Steam page notes that the game includes intense violence and blood.
How to get the official version
Install the free Steam client, sign in, and add Counter-Strike 2 on Steam. Steam lists Windows and Linux (SteamOS) support. There is no Mac version and no mobile version. Games claiming to be “Counter-Strike 2 Mobile” in app stores are not made by Valve.
Cost and purchases
The game is free to download and play. The Steam page offers an optional Prime Status Upgrade, listed at US$14.99 on the US store when we checked, and the game includes in-app purchases such as cases, keys and cosmetic items traded on the Steam Community Market. Parents should know that some of these purchases involve random items.
Requirements
Steam’s minimum requirements for Windows are Windows 10, a processor with 4 hardware threads (Intel Core i5 750 or higher), 8 GB of memory, a DirectX 11 graphics card with at least 1 GB and Shader Model 5.0 support, and 85 GB of free space. For Linux, Steam lists Ubuntu 20.04, the same CPU and memory, and an AMD GCN+ or NVIDIA Kepler+ GPU with current Vulkan drivers.
Age rating
The Steam store listing does not show an ESRB or PEGI rating for Counter-Strike 2. It shows ratings from other systems, for example USK 16 in Germany. Check your own region’s store page.
Safety notes
Sites offering a “CS2 download”, free skins, or cheats are a common source of malware and stolen Steam accounts. Valve Anti-Cheat is enabled, and using cheats can get an account banned. Install only through Steam, and never sign in to Steam through a link from a trading or skin site.
Questions
Is Counter-Strike 2 free?
Yes, it is free to play. Prime Status and in-game items are optional purchases.
Does CS2 run on Mac?
No. Steam lists Windows and Linux only.
Can I still play CS:GO?
Counter-Strike 2 replaced CS:GO on Steam app 730.
