Is CS2 free to play?

It's finally here.

Inferno's second mid in Counter-Strike 2.
Screenshot by Dot Esports

After years of waiting and months of speculation, first-person shooter fans from around the world are celebrating the reveal of one of the most-anticipated video game releases: Counter-Strike 2.

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The long-awaited update to CS:GO is finally making its way to the public, and as expected, the community is going bananas for the new changes. One big question that must be answered, however, is whether or not players will have to pay for this upcoming title.

Before 2018, CS:GO was priced at around $14.99, but after the Danger Zone update, anyone could download the game for free and hop onto the battlefield. But will the biggest release of the year so far require purchasing?

Overpass CS2 CT-Side running away from spawn
CS2 will update a number of things across the board. Image via Valve

Can you play CS2 for free?

In Valve’s official announcement for the game, it is confirmed that CS2 will be going live to all players this coming summer as a free upgrade to CS:GO. Anyone who wants to jump into the action will simply have to download CS:GO to gain access to the new game when it releases later this year.

Additionally, a select amount of players have been gaining access to CS2 limited testing since the game’s announcement, but users must check their CS:GO client to see if they’ve been chosen to try out the new game. If a player has been selected to test out the game, they will receive a special notification when they first boot up the game.

Related: When is CS2 coming out?

Players will also get to transfer all of their CS:GO items to CS2, along with their loadouts and settings. It will be a great way to maintain their player base while ensuring that people have an easy transition to the new title.

Author
Image of Mateusz Miter
Mateusz Miter
Freelance Writer at Dot Esports. Mateusz previously worked for numerous outlets and gaming-adjacent companies, including ESL. League of Legends or CS:GO? He loves them both. In fact, he wonders which game he loves more every day. He wanted to go pro years ago, but somewhere along the way decided journalism was the more sensible option—and he was right.
Author
Image of Tyler Esguerra
Tyler Esguerra
Lead League of Legends writer for Dot Esports. Forever an LCS supporter, AD carry main, with more than five years in the industry. Sometimes I like clicking heads in Call of Duty or VALORANT. Creator of the Critical Strike Podcast.