Can you play CSGO after CS2 release?

❘ Published: 2023-10-12T10:43:52

Valve

Counter-Strike 2 is the next iteration in the 20-year-long franchise of Counter-Strike, and sequel to the ever-popular Global Offensive. But, if you love CS just as it is, you may be wondering if you can play CS:GO now that CS2 is out.

CS2 is now live for all players, for free, as an update to CS:GO.

But there are many of players who will yearn for CS:GO; after all, it has been a mainstay in the shooter genre for over 10 years.

So, the question is, will CS:GO be playable once Counter-Strike 2 releases and takes its place?

Contents

Will CS:GO be playable after CS2 is out?
Will I keep my CS:GO skins?
What about older versions?

Will CS:GO be playable once CS2 is out?

Counter-Strike 2 has totally replaced CS:GO, rendering the previous game, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, unplayable on official servers. Your CS:GO game in your Steam library has been renamed to Counter-Strike 2.

Valve said, “Counter-Strike 2 arrives this summer as a free upgrade to CS:GO,” – and the limited-test beta was simply launched from the same game in your Steam library.

However, it will still be possible to launch the “Legacy CS:GO Version”, for those who are unable to run CS2 on their systems.

The Counter-Strike 2 beta is still in limited release.

What is CS:GO Legacy Version?

Counter-Strike 2 is exclusively playable on 64-bit Windows and Linux operation systems, meaning players on MacOS, 32-bit Windows or DirectX 9 are unable to play.

This is where the Legacy CS:GO Version comes in. You can launch this by using the launch option in CS2 on Steam.

How to play Legacy CS:GO Version:

Right-click on Counter-Strike 2 in your Steam Library
Go to Properties, then betas
Select ‘Legacy CS:GO Version’ from the betas drop down

The legacy version of CS:GO is a “frozen build” of CS:GO, Valve says. This means that all the features from CS:GO are present, but official matchmaking is not possible, with servers all running CS2 now.

Support for the legacy version of CS:GO will end on January 1, 2024, with Valve explaining: “After January 1, 2024 the game will still be available, but certain functionality that relies on compatibility with the Game Coordinator (e.g., access to inventory) may degrade and/or fail.”

Will I keep my CS:GO skins and items in CS2?

Yes, all CS:GO skins, stickers, weapons, patches, cases, and capsules in your inventory have been transferred over to Counter-Strike 2. You won’t lose anything now that CS:GO is replaced.

However, some items look different. Some of this is due to the new lighting and graphics in CS2, which make some skins and stickers look a lot better (and others arguably worse). It is also because some weapon models in CS2, such as the USP-S, Desert Eagle, AK-47, and M4A1-S, have been updated slightly.

What about older versions of Counter-Strike?

Of course, it is currently possible to still play Counter-Strike 1.6 and Counter-Strike: Source.

Although Valve is keen for everyone to move over to CS2, it’s possible that later down the line, a classic version of CS:GO will be released, and nostalgic players may get their wish.

There is also the possibility that modders create an imitation version of CS:GO, although whether this would be frowned upon by Valve or not, we don’t know.

For more on Counter-Strike 2, check out our guides: