Counter-Strike 2 is free to play. All of your skins and loadouts will transfer to the new game.
Counter-Strike 2 has been confirmed with significant improvements to maps, gameplay, performance as well as UI. The sub-tick rates added further enhance the reach of Counter-Strike Source 2. But is Counter-Strike 2 free-to-play?
Is Counter-Strike 2 free to play?
Yes, Counter-Strike 2 is free to play. Furthermore, all weapon skins from CS:GO will move over to Counter-Strike 2.
Valve has confirmed Counter-Strike 2 will be free to play. The game launches in Summer 2023 and brings with it several updates and changes.
Some of the changes include
- Sub Tick rates
- Better Maps including existing and new ones
- Changes to Smokes in Counter-Strike 2
After keeping silent on Counter-Strike 2 for several years, Valve has finally dropped the bombshell of the news. The CS:GO 2 beta is currently available and players are selected based on certain criteria.
Valve has also confirmed existing skins and loadouts will transfer to CS:GO 2. So players can expect to have their entire inventory move over to CS:GO 2 when it releases. Some of the lower tier skins will also have improved graphics and better visuals in the new game.
Following the CS:GO free-to-play model
Counter-Strike Source 2 will follow CS:GO’s monetization method. Despite releasing CS:GO as a paid game, Valve transitioned to a free-to-play model in 2018.
The move to free-to-play involved giving existing CS:GO playerbase some cosmetic skins and a prime status that distinguishes them from new players. Thankfully, CS:GO 2 will be completely free-to-play from the get-go and should help get many new players to the game.
Over the past few months, CS:GO has seen increasing number of players with the game breaching record after record. At the time of writing, CS:GO’s all-time peak is 1,416,861 which was achieved in March 2023.
Stay tuned to esports.gg for the latest Counter-Strike 2 news and updates.