Counter Strike 2 is one of the biggest video game releases in a long time. While it’s advertised as a new game, CS2 is, in fact, an update to the long-running Counter Strike: Global Offensive, one of the best and most popular online shooters in the history of the genre. On September 27th, the long-awaited Counter Strike 2 was released, effectively replacing Counter Strike: Global Offensive on Steam.
Not everyone was happy with the change though, and many gamers are still wondering, can you play CS:GO after CS2 is released? For everyone who still wants to play CS GO, here at Skinsmonkey we bring all the answers! Also, if you wan to expand your CS 2 inventory with some free CS2 (CS:GO) skins, be sure to check out our website!
Can You Still Play CSGO After CS2 Released?
We’ll give it to you straight: you can no longer play CS GO after CS2 is released. If you look at your Steam library, you’ll also see that Counter Strike 2 has replaced the previous game, and the latter is no longer playable. With the free upgrade to Counter Strike 2, players are no longer able to download Counter Strike: Global Offensive. Also, any player who had CSGO in their library when the CS2 update was released received a special commemorative badge in their inventory.
Counter Strike: Global Offensive can’t be purchased anymore, which means that you won’t be able to add it to your Steam library either. Instead, players will only see CS2 in the store, and won’t have access to the previous version of the game. If your PC can’t handle the CS2 system requirements, you will sadly be forced to upgrade.
Can You Play An Older Version CS:GO?
At the moment, there’s still one method left to access an older build of CS:GO, even with CS2 in your Steam library. Bear in mind, that this is just a demo version of a previous beta build, and you won’t have access to matchmaking. You can still technically play community servers and try some offline play, though it’s not clear how long this method will be viable since Valve will almost certainly remove this previous build in the near future.
Here is how you can still try and access one of the older versions of the game:
- Open Steam library and find CS2
- Right-click on CS2 and select ‘properties’
- Go to the ‘betas’ tab
- Find ‘beta participation’ and open the drop-down menu
- Click ‘csgo_demo_viewer- 1.38.7.9.’
Once you select the beta version you want to participate in, your Steam client will download 12 GB of game files, and you will see CS:GO in your library, next to CS2. You won’t be able to access the matchmaking, but you should still be able to play community maps, at least until this option gets removed completely.
What Will Happen To CS:GO Skins In CS2?
If you have a lot of CS:GO skins in your inventory and are worried about what will happen to CSGO skins in CS2 – don’t worry. All of your CS:GO skins are usable in CS2. All of the items in your CSGO inventory have simply changed to CS2 skins. You can use them in the newer version of the game, and even sell and trade CS2 (CS:GO) skins.
Can I Still Play CS 1.6 and CSS?
If you’re wondering if you can still access the classic Counter Strike games on Steam, don’t worry. CS2 has been updated to CS:GO, and as such Counter Strike: Global Offensive is the only game that got affected by this change. While you can no longer play CS:GO after CS2 released, CS 1.6 and Counter Strike: Source, as well as any other Counter Strike games besides CSGO, are still easily available.
You should still be able to access all the servers in CS 1.6 and CSS and play the game without any issues. Both of these Counter Strike versions still have a sizable community, releasing new maps, mods, and game modes. If you’re worried about these games disappearing, don’t worry, they are most likely here to stay.
In Conclusion
Counter Strike 2 was meant as a replacement for CS:GO, since the game offers pretty much the same features, only expanded. Sadly, this also means that going back to CS:GO is no longer possible. Still, you shouldn’t worry, since you’ll be able to access all your favorite CS:GO maps and game modes, in a refreshed form! Also, if you want to make some money on the introduction of Counter Strike 2, be sure to check out our guide on how to sell CS2 (CS:GO) skins.
A true gaming enthusiast, especially Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Rust. At SkinsMonkey, he is involved in creating game guides based on his own experience.
