CS2 is officially out, here’s how to download it

CS2 is out, and you may already have the download complete if you haven’t checked yet.

Valve has been teasing Counter-Strike 2 hard for months. Ever since the initial announcement, fans of the franchise have been equally excited and scared of what the next installment will be. While the new mechanics and engine change have already been largely explored in the beta, the official launch is a chance for everyone to hop in on the fun. Here are details on the launch and how to download and play the world’s new biggest tactical shooter.

Counter-Strike 2 has officially been released on September 27, 2023, nearly six months to the day after it was first announced on March 22. The beta test started off slow, but Valve quickly ramped up updates as summer went on, eventually introducing nearly all popular maps and finetuning the game’s movement, gunplay, and general feel. Constant feedback from casual enjoyers and pro players alike has helped shape the game up for a final release.

If you were left out in the cold during the beta test and are eager to hop into the game, here’s where and how to download CS2.

How to download and play CS2 for its official release

CS2 is exclusively available through Steam, and any player can download it for free from the client.

While the store page is still being updated, Counter-Strike 2 can be downloaded from the Global Offensive store page. The game is entirely free, with a paid Prime upgrade to unlock certain features. Notably, players who already had Prime in Global Offensive will keep the features in Counter-Strike 2.

If you’ve already gone through the Global Offensive download process, you will likely already see CS2 in your Steam inventory. The older version has been completely replaced with the new one, which could make the Source 1 version impossible to play in the future. In that case, simply update the game and all the Source 2 upgrades will be installed automatically with no extra download needed.