Valve warns against idling on CSGO in hopes of joining Counter-Strike 2 test

According to Valve, players hoping to access the Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test by idling on CS:GO’s servers are wasting their time.

Upon announcing the Counter-Strike sequel last week, Valve unleashed a surprise limited test beta for select players to join.

The studio soon thereafter revealed that Counter-Strike 2’s beta selections were based on a range of factors, some of which included a user’s Steam account standing and recent playtime on official Valve servers.

Given the ongoing hype surrounding the testing phase, it should come as no surprise that players who weren’t invited are trying to cheat the system.

Valve shares PSA on CS:GO idling for Counter-Strike 2 beta test

One way people have tried getting into the beta is by idling on Valve’s CS:GO matchmaking servers. The general idea is to rack up enough playtime to trick Valve into letting them join the Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test.

However, the studio itself has said that such a tactic will prove little more than a waste of time. The playtime that matters for the currently running beta test was calculated ahead of its launch on Wednesday, March 22.

PSA: Idling on official matchmaking servers in CS:GO does not increase your chances of making into the CS2 Limited Test. The playtime that counts was your playtime prior to the start of the Limited Test.

— CS2 (@CounterStrike) March 27, 2023

This news will likely disappoint those who’ve made an attempt at gaming the system over the last several days, especially since it’s unclear if and when Valve will host another testing session after this one ends.

At least the wait for the full game will not last for too much longer. The free-to-play Counter-Strike experience is expected to launch on an unspecified date this summer.

With the summer months fast approaching, Valve developers are bound to share more specifics in the not-too-distant future.