How to Get Access to Counter-Strike 2 Beta Limited Test

Valve finally put the rumors to rest and announced Counter-Strike 2, a replacement to the critically-acclaimed tactical FPS shooter CS:GO that refuses to die. Well, even more gamers are now playing Counter-Strike, thanks to the Counter-Strike 2 hype and its upcoming release in the summer of 2023. By the way, if you are wondering what’s new, here’s all you need to know about Counter Strike 2. But in this guide, we will explain how to play CS2 beta and tips on how to increase your chances of being invited to test out the game. With that said, it’s time to look at the steps to get access to the Counter-Strike 2 limited beta test.

How to Play Counter-Strike 2 Beta (2023)

Anyone can get an invitation to the Counter-Strike 2 beta test as long as the player passes a few basic factors. We will discuss those in the next section, where we tell you how to increase your chances of getting into the Counter-Strike 2 limited test. For now, here is how you can check whether you’ve been invited to the Counter-Strike 2 Beta:

1. First, open Steam. Download and install Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (Free) if you haven’t. While CS:GO will be replaced by Counter-Strike 2 later, it will still be available for now. Players can get invites to CS2 only through the existing game. I am assuming that you already have Steam, but if you don’t, you can download it using the link here.

2. Proceed to launch Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. I’m assuming you are already a Steam user and have played CS:GO before. If you haven’t, it’s probably going to be a long time until you can get access to CS2 Beta. This is because currently, Valve is offering it to players with a good trust factor already established in CS:GO. Your recent playtime on official Valve servers matters too.

3. Once you are in the CS main menu, you should get a notification for the Counter-Strike 2 Limited Access beta (if you get selected, that is). Check out the tweet (courtesy of Twitter/HLTV.org) below to see what the option looks like for players who are selected by Valve for the CS2 beta. As mentioned before, any player can get access to the Counter-Strike 2 limited test. It’s not just professionals & influencers who have been streaming the game.

How many of you have received an invite to @CounterStrike 2 Limited Test? 🧐 pic.twitter.com/7q5oif8Cav— HLTV.org (@HLTVorg) March 22, 2023

4. Once you enroll in the Counter-Strike 2 limited test, Steam will start downloading CS2 on your computer. Once installed, you will get the option to choose between CS:GO or CS2 when you click “Play” in Steam.

How to Increase Your Chances to Play Counter Strike 2 Beta

Well, if you didn’t get access to the Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test, fret not, as Valve has confirmed that they will be adding more players to the testing very soon. They have not mentioned anything about requiring a Prime status, so even if you don’t have it, you could get access to CS2 Beta. Here is what Valve has to say about how players get selected for the CS2 Beta:

Players are selected for the Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test based on a number of factors deemed important by the Counter-Strike 2 development team, including (but not limited to) recent playtime on Valve official servers, trust factor, and Steam account standing.— CS2 (@CounterStrike) March 22, 2023

That said, we do have some tips to help increase your chances of getting into the beta. You can do the following:

• Play more Counter-Strike: Global Offensive on official Valve servers. Play as much as you can in competitive matchmaking or casual modes. This will increase your playtime and is one of the major factors (but not the only one) that affects whether you get access to CS2. Avoid playing on community servers, as they don’t count as playtime on the Valve official servers. Try to play every day and do check the main menu often for the CS2 beta test invite.
• Be a good sport and ask players or friends to commend you. Playing in a non-toxic way, being a good teammate, and helping others will definitely increase your trust factor.
• Ensure your Steam account is in good standing by not having any VAC bans. And if you do have one, you might be avoided as a potential CS2 beta tester.

To be honest with you, I have been playing Counter-Strike for 10+ years (and also have CS 1.6 on my Steam account). In CS:GO, I have over 2,000 hours, a 5 years service medal, and over 500+ competitive wins. With the release of Counter-Strike 2, I rushed to download the game again and check if I have access. I even played a competitive game and unlocked the Gold Nova Master rank.

However, I have not received an invitation for the Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test yet. To increase my chances, we have been playing every day since the announcement in hopes to get enrolled in the CS2 beta soon. If you have been a loyal Counter-Strike player for years and did not get into the beta, we feel for you. But, as stated before, Valve confirmed that they will let more players into the Counter-Strike 2 Beta as we move forward.

Beware of Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test Scams

It’s very important to note that there are NO official keys for Counter-Strike 2. You can only get access to the game via the prompt on CS:GO’s main menu screen. There are tons of videos and websites going around trying to lure people into surrendering their Steam account or paying them to buy keys to get into the limited beta test of Counter-Strike 2. You must be careful and avoid these scams at all costs. You should be extremely wary as people have been impersonating Valve to fool others. Here is Valve’s official stance on the scam situation:

Beware of scams. The only way to check for Limited Test access is to launch CS:GO through Steam and check the Main Menu.

Do not log into third party sites claiming to check your Steam account for access or offering Limited Test access or keys; there are no Limited Test keys.— CS2 (@CounterStrike) March 22, 2023

Frequently Asked Questions

How often are players added to the Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test?

Valve has confirmed that more players will be added to the CS2 Beta over time. They have asked players to keep checking their main menu for a potential invitation.

Is Counter-Strike 2 free to play?

Yes, Counter-Strike 2 will be a free-to-play game. It will be just like many other Valve games such as Dota 2, CS:GO, and Team Fortress 2.

Will my Prime Status in CS:GO transfer to Counter-Strike 2?

Yes, Valve has confirmed that the user’s prime status of CS:GO will transfer over to Counter-Strike 2.

Is Counter-Strike 2 replacing CS:GO?

Yes, Counter-Strike 2 will be replacing CS:GO when it launches this summer in 2023. Existing game items and gun skins will also be ported over to the new game.

Will Counter-Strike 2 be on PS5?

Valve has no official plans or information regarding the release of Counter-Strike 2 on PS5. However, CS:GO does exist on consoles.

Is Counter-Strike 2 the Source 2 update that people have been waiting for?

Yes, Counter-Strike 2 is on the Source 2 engine and it is one of the major updates to the game.

Can you play CS:GO separately while Counter-Strike 2 limited test is happening?

Yes, you can play CS:GO separately from Counter-Strike 2 presently. But at some point, the new game will replace the old one.

Does Valve allow recording and live-streaming of Counter Strike 2’s gameplay on YouTube and Twitch?

Yes, players are allowed to stream & record their gameplay of Counter-Strike 2. You can publish it on social media and streaming platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and Twitter.

Have Fun with the New Counter-Strike 2 Beta

It’s been a long time since players have been waiting for CS:GO 2, or the next major update to the Counter-Strike series, aks the Source 2 update. We have been looking at leaks for a long time, and now, Valve has officially announced the game. If you followed the steps in this guide, you will be able to find out whether you have been invited to the Counter-Strike 2 limited test. We also talked about how to increase your chances to get into the beta. Did you get access to the CS2 Beta yet? What are your thoughts on Counter-Strike 2? Let us know in the comments, and if you have any doubts, we will definitely help you out.