Counter-Strike 2 fans upset as Valorant streamers get beta test first

Fariha Bhatti Published 23/03/2023

Although Counter-Strike 2 beta was open to accounts selected randomly by the system, fans are expressing anger that Valorant streamers received beta test access ahead of veteran and celebrated CSGO players.

Valve opened beta access to keenly awaited Counter-Strike 2 on March 22, sending shockwaves across the FPS community. Naturally, players instantly tried to apply for the beta key, but Valve poured cold water over their enthusiasm, announcing that the automated system would randomly pick accounts based on hidden factors. Soon after, many got their beta keys, allowing them to jump into Counter-Strike 2.

While it’s great that Valve made the player select randomly based on playtime, Steam standing, and more, Counter-Strike fans were upset that loyal streamers didn’t get beta test access. WarOwl and Onhepixel were the two top streamers who have created CSGO content religiously over the years but didn’t get into the beta program.

The entire Counter-Strike came out in their support, bugging Valve to open special access. Fans were patient until Valorant streamers tarik, shroud, and even Sentinels got the beta key.

WarOwl took to Twitter to express his disappointment and requested Valve for access.

“I did not get access to the limited beta. I understand I’m not owed anything, but this is my career. I’ve spent over 10 years covering CSGO, and without access, I cannot do my job. I’m screwed,” WarOwl said.

Notable gaming figures called out Valve for not appropriately handling the beta access. According to the community, the developer should have granted specialized keys to 1.6 pro players and old streamers. However, casual Counter-Strike fans were mostly upset over Valorant streamers getting access smoothly.

Fortunately, WarOwl gained access to the game a few hours after other content creators had already shared their first impressions. While fans were initially disappointed that Onhepixel was left out, it appears that Valve also felt bad. As a gesture of apology for the delayed access, Counter-Strike 2 followed the esteemed streamer and even sent a direct message thanking him for his patience.

Fariha Bhatti

About Fariha Bhatti

Fariha Bhatti is a long-time gaming writer who loves competitive FPS games and slots with particularly fun themes. She got her start playing classic games developed by SNK, from legendary fighting game series The King of Fighters to challenging platform franchise Metal Slug. She now spends most of her time playing Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 while working her way through new slot releases to find her next favorite. Fariha has been published at PCGamesN, TalkEsport and ONE Esports.

View full profile

Read Also

Counter-Strike

IEM Cologne Major 2026 CS2 Stage 3 Pick’Em Predictions Owen Harsono It’s that time of the year again, as the next Counter-Strike 2 Major is right around the corner. The IEM Cologne 2026 Major is set to start on June 2, meaning you still have some time to lock in your Pick’Em predictions. The Pick’Em Challenge is one of the most exciting parts of the CS2 Majors, as it allows you to test your knowledge and predict which teams make it ...

Counter-Strike

Team Spirit concede just 10 rounds in Stage 2 of the IEM Cologne Major Owen Harsono It was pretty weird seeing Team Spirit having to start the IEM Cologne Major from Stage 2, but they quickly proved why that was a mistake. With donk shooting on all fronts, the Eastern Europeans speed ran the competition to book their spot in Stage 3. With how they’ve been playing, it’s hard not to wonder whether they can actually win the entire thing. These boys can sometimes be known ...

Counter-Strike

BIG pull off 0-12 comeback to stay alive – IEM Cologne Major Stage 1 recap Owen Harsono We’ve just witnessed arguably the worst choke in Counter-Strike Major history, and we’re only on the first stage of the IEM Cologne Major. If you didn’t tune into the Stage 1 matches, here’s what you need to know heading into Stage 2. Many fans tend to underestimate Stage 1 teams for fair reasons, but some survivors in this tournament look extremely promising. Two Eastern European teams, BetBoom Team and B8, ...

Counter-Strike

Who will win the IEM Cologne Major 2026? Owen Harsono If you’re looking to play it safe and back one team at the Counter-Strike 2 IEM Cologne 2026 Major, traders prediction markets platforms have a clear frontrunner – it’s Team Vitality. But if it’s not meant to be, there are a few other candidates that could lift the trophy. Here’s what traders on Polymarket and Kalshi think. If you haven’t been watching CS2 this year and are only jumping on ...

Counter-Strike

The 10 best CS2 players who have never won a Major Owen Harsono In Counter-Strike, winning a Major immediately puts you into legend status. It’s an achievement that proves you won the game’s biggest trophy. However, there have been some really good players that could never get their hands on the biggest trophy that Counter-Strike esports has to offer. Here is WIN.gg's list of best CS2 players who have never won a Major. ScreaM is one of Counter-Strike's most famous players for one ...

Counter-Strike

IEM Cologne Major 2026: All the teams, favorites, and outright betting odds Owen Harsono Mark your calendars, as the IEM Cologne Major kicks off on June 2, 2026. We’re going to see the best teams in the world compete, but which ones are actually favored to take the title? This will be the first time in 10 years that IEM Cologne will return as a Counter-Strike Major, so the stakes this year are much higher than they’ve been in a decade. In this guide, ...

Esports Betting

All IEM Cologne winners and rosters in Counter-Strike history Owen Harsono IEM Cologne is one of Counter-Strike’s biggest events, happening every single year. Some seasons, the event is labeled as one of Valve’s two Counter-Strike Majors of the year, but if not, still stands as one of the big events every player chases to win. With the IEM Cologne 2026 Major right around the corner, let’s take a trip down memory lane and check out every single winner of the tournament, ...