Is there a Way to Play Counter-Strike 2 on macOS?

Mehraj Mahdin
By Mehraj Mahdin
3 Min Read
Credit: Valve

The latest update has had macOS users worried about CS2 being playable on their platforms.

Counter-Strike 2 is a free upgrade to CS:GO. The overhaul comes with updated map visuals and new models for weapons, among others. These changes are really impactful in bringing new life to the decade-old title. However, as people praise the updates, a part of the community is being left behind.

With the move to Counter-Strike 2, Valve has started to discontinue support for older hardware. Alongside this, they also released a legacy version for CS:GO, which you can access to play in community servers. In a patch note from October 2023, they stated what you can do if you are one of the people affected by these changes.

Read More: Counter-Strike 2 New Rating Changes

Can I Play Counter-Strike 2 on macOS?

Unfortunately, no. Valve has decided that macOS and some older hardware are no longer worth separately developing for. They claim these portions represent less than 1 percent of the active CS:GO player base. They are exclusively going to support Windows 64-bit and Linux.

So, if you were in the minority and were unable to access Counter-Strike 2, what can you do? Well, Valve seemingly has no plans to restore accessibility. They did announce via their support page that every affected customer is entitled to a refund of their prime status.

macOS users are eligible for a refund if most of their CS:GO playtime was on macOS and they played CS:GO on a Mac between the announcement of the Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test (March 22, 2023) and the launch of Counter-Strike 2 (September 27, 2023), regardless of when they purchased their Prime Status Upgrade.

Valve

Can I Still Play CS:GO on macOS?

Yes! CS:GO can still be accessed via the legacy version through the “betas” tab on game properties. Although, the game will not feature any official matchmaking support. Moreover, after January 1, 2024, inventory and other services may also deteriorate.

The discontinued support for macOS may come as a surprise. However, it is quite logical for Valve to focus development on the majority of the community base and not spend time catering to a smaller player base and complicating the new game engine. This is evident with the number of updates and hotfixes they are sending out each week. So, it is about time you upgraded your rig and joined in on the fun!

Read More: How to Gain More XP and Level up Faster in Counter-Strike 2

By Mehraj Mahdin FPS Writer
Mehraj is an FPS writer at GameRiv. He is an Esports Enthusiast and studying Finance in his senior year. He is also an active professional CS:GO player, having a particular affinity for FPS and RTS titles