Is Counter-Strike 2 going to be free to play?

Players who want to jump onto Counter-Strike 2 when it becomes available are wondering if the game will be free to play.

Valve’s announcement of the long-awaited sequel to the classic shooter game has stirred fans, who are already marveling at all the new, modern features coming to Counter-Strike.

From fully-overhauled maps to volumetric smoke grenades to removing the impact of tick rate, Valve has given gamers a worthy new entry in the competitive shooter genre.

However, for players who are used to the free-to-play model from games like Valorant, there is the concern as to whether Counter-Strike 2 will come as cheap or not.

Will Counter-Strike 2 be free on release?

Counter-Strike 2 is a free upgrade to the existing game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. All players who have CS:GO will get to play Counter-Strike 2 for free at launch.

If you’re not a CS:GO player, but are interested in getting into the game with a sequel coming, don’t worry. CS:GO is also a free-to-play game that can be downloaded off steam.

In short, there is no up front cost for those who want to take on Counter-Strike 2 on release, but there will be the opportunity for in-game purchases.

For instance, players are able to purchase weapon skins in CS:GO, and are even able to trade or resell them!

And if you’re one of those who has already spent their hard-earned cash on a skin that you love in CS:GO, don’t worry. Valve has confirmed that all existing skins that players have purchased in CS:GO will carry over to Counter-Strike 2, with some minor visual upgrades!

For more information about Counter-Strike 2, make sure to check out the links below:

How to play Counter-Strike 2 limited beta test | What is sub-tick 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? | Valve officially reveals Counter-Strike 2 | Everything we know about Counter-Strike 2