CS2 early access: Eligibility criteria and how to get in

Fariha Bhatti Published 01/09/2023

Still don’t have Counter-Strike 2 access? That might change today, at least if you check basic eligibility criteria. 

Valve is eventually rolling out CS2 for all. While it was initially highly exclusive, more players are now getting their hands on the hotly anticipated Source 2 upgrade. Finally, the biggest CS2 access wave hit yesterday, handing out access to those who didn’t check the previous boxes. 

The new criteria for CS2 access is lax, and chances are your Steam account already has the update ready. 

How to get CS2 access?

It’s now much simpler and easier to get CS2 early access. In the recent release notes, Valve has revealed the criteria for CS2, and most old-timers would be eligible.

In order to get CS2 access in September:

• Players must have CSGO Prime Status
• An active Competitive Skill Group
• Play the majority of their official matchmaking games in one of the regions where the Limited Test is available

That’s it. That’s all you need to be eligible for CS2. Most old players already have Prime status, but serious competitors may not have their rank active. It’s common for most competitive players to play Faceit instead of MM, which leads to rank decaying and disappearing. 

However, there’s still time. Players may still log back into their Steam accounts and start grinding MM to unlock rank. Who knows, Valve may continue to roll out access throughout the month or start another wave before the official release, which is currently rumored to be in the latter half of September 2023.

Those who recently got their hands on CS2 will be able to test out the newly overhauled Inferno, MR12 system, and leaderboard. Eventually, the new map-based ranking system will also enter the fray, adding a new twist to the already cut-throat MM mode in CS2. 

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.

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