The Counter-Strike 2 release date is rapidly approaching, with the new Source 2 version of Valve’s flagship FPS game expected to bring new weapons, maps, and skins when it launches later this year. Right now, however, the Counter-Strike 2 limited test is all we care about. With access only being offered to select CSGO players, it seemed there was a trick for accessing the Steam shooter on the sly. Valve, however, says it won’t work. Boo.
We’ve already compiled all the Counter-Strike changes, covering everything from the new smoke grenades, reworked weapon designs, and maps rebuilt in Source 2. Naturally, we’re all eager to try it out – in fact, CSGO just smashed its previous player-count record as the hype around Valve’s tentpole shooter intensifies massively.
The CS2 limited test however is only available to select players. Streamers, CSGO pros, Valve content creators, and people with massive amounts of Global Offensive playtime seem to be first in line, and it’s this final category that, at one point, seemed exploitable.
If you hang around in the CSGO lobbies long enough – just leave your PC running with Counter-Strike open in the background – it’ll push your playtime up and up, and maybe flag you at Valve for the CS2 beta, right?! Wrong.
“Idling on official matchmaking servers in CSGO does not increase your chances of making it into the CS2 limited test,” Valve says, emphatically. “The playtime that counts was your playtime prior to the start of the limited test.”
Ugh. Sorry everyone. Looks like we’ll have to wait it out until either CS2 gets an expanded, public test, or the full Counter-Strike 2 launch in summer. In the meantime, it looks like Valve Anti-Cheat is getting a full rework, and will automatically cancel CS2 matches in progress.
All your items from Global Offensive will carry over to CS2, so make sure you’ve got the best CSGO crosshairs. As we wait for summer, you might also want to check out some of the other best free Steam games available.