How to play CSGO after Counter-Strike 2’s release

Wondering if you can still play CS:GO even though Counter-Strike 2 has now been released? Here’s exactly how you can play the classic FPS.

Counter-Strike 2 has finally officially released to massive fanfare. The long-awaited entry into Source 2 has been a long in the making, with rumors starting years ago and finally, the world has access to it in all its glory.

However, just because we all have access to CS2 now doesn’t mean there aren’t those who would like to revisit CS:GO. 

Luckily, Valve has always been good with allowing players to access older versions of CS:GO, and that’s no different now that they’ve switched to CS2. So here is how to access the original FPS moving forward in the CS2-era. 

How to access CS:GO after Counter-Strike 2’s release

Accessing the Legacy version of CS:GO is quite simple, you just need to follow the steps below: 

1. Go to your Steam Library and right-click Counter-Strike 2.
2. Click on “Properties” from the menu.
3. Select the “Beta” tab.
4. On the “Beta Participation” menu, select “csgo_legacy”.
5. Once selected, Steam will auto-download this version of CS:GO.
6. Once downloaded, when clicking to play CS2, Steam will give the options between CS2 or CS:GO.
7. Select CS:GO.

As for how long Valve will keep this build of CS:GO downloadable, it’s unknown for now, as this is so far the only way you can access CS:GO.

Previous CS games were released as completely separate titles on Steam, however, CS2 was released akin to a big update for CS:GO rather than a separate game, meaning CS:GO could be lost entirely if Valve decides to take down this demo version. Similar to how Blizzard effectively replaced the original Overwatch with its transition to Overwatch 2.

However, they’re likely to keep around for the time being as there are still CS tournaments ongoing which are being played in CS:GO. 

That’s how you can download CS:GO! For more content on the game and it’s sequel, check out our guides below:

Best CS2 settings | CS2 Commands you need to know | How to jump throw in CS2 | Can you play left hand in Counter-Strike 2? | All smoke changes in Counter-Strike 2 | Can you play Counter-Strike 2 on Linux or macOS? | Can banned CS:GO players play Counter-Strike 2? | What will happen to my CSGO skins? | Will Counter-Strike 2 come to Steam Deck?