Is CS2 free to play?

After years of waiting and months of speculation, first-person shooter fans from around the world are celebrating the reveal of one of the most-anticipated video game releases: Counter-Strike 2.

The long-awaited update to CS:GO is finally making its way to the public, and as expected, the community is going bananas for the new changes. One big question that must be answered, however, is whether or not players will have to pay for this upcoming title.

Before 2018, CS:GO was priced at around $14.99, but after the Danger Zone update, anyone could download the game for free and hop onto the battlefield. But will the biggest release of the year so far require purchasing?

Can you play CS2 for free?

In Valve’s official announcement for the game, it is confirmed that CS2 will be going live to all players this coming summer as a free upgrade to CS:GO. Anyone who wants to jump into the action will simply have to download CS:GO to gain access to the new game when it releases later this year.

Additionally, a select amount of players have been gaining access to CS2 limited testing since the game’s announcement, but users must check their CS:GO client to see if they’ve been chosen to try out the new game. If a player has been selected to test out the game, they will receive a special notification when they first boot up the game.

Related: When is CS2 coming out?

Players will also get to transfer all of their CS:GO items to CS2, along with their loadouts and settings. It will be a great way to maintain their player base while ensuring that people have an easy transition to the new title.