Counter-Strike 2 (CS2), released on September 27, 2023, as part of the 5th installment of the legendary Counter-Strike series, has quickly garnered a massive player count since its release. Continuing the precisely calculated playstyle found in its beloved predecessor, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, in addition to numerous gameplay changes and a visual revamp, just how many people play CS2?

CS2’s Player Coun

Since the release of CS2 in late September 2023, the average player count has only been climbing every month. Starting from an average daily player count of 792k in October, this number has made a steady ascent to its now 965k monthly average. In the past four months, from February to May, CS2’s player count has experienced a gain of almost 200k average players, with March marking a significant rise to 886k average players from just its prior month’s 786k average players. Peak player counts in each month since its release also reflect this steady growth in CS2’s popularity, starting from October having 1,364,902 peak players to May, which saw an increase to 1,614,925 peak players. Just these past 30 days (June 2024), CS2 boasts an average daily player count of 965k with 1,564,162 as its peak. Currently, CS2 holds the throne as Steam’s most-played game. As summer comes in full swing, you can expect this number to climb even further.  

CS2’s Player Count Compared to CS:GO

To put the numbers in perspective, let’s compare it to CS:GO, which, throughout its 11-year lifetime, has consistently maintained a high player count. Viewing the all-time graph below, CS2 has been able to maintain the overall upward trend, ignoring the summer of 2023, which saw an influx of players due to the hype brought on by the news of CS2’s release. CS2 has been able to retain the vast majority of its loyal player base garnered from CS:GO, along with attracting new players thanks to its updated graphics and its multitude of new mechanics.

CS2’s Global Scene

Counter-Strike continues to stay massively popular all across the globe, with its popularity only continuing to spread with the release of CS2. Major regions include North America, Europe, Asia, and South America, each region fostering all aspects, from creating tournaments and communities to birthing influencers, content creators, and pro players. The leading country in terms of player count is Russia, comprising 11.65% of CS2’s players, followed by the United States, comprising 10.66%, Poland coming in third place, comprising 5.32%, Brazil following with 4.87%, and finally Germany with 4.55%. Counter-Strike 2’s player base is truly global.

CS2’s Esports Scene

Counter-Strike 2 has continued the flame of Esports that its predecessors initially kindled. Starting off with a bang, the PGL Copenhagen major, which concluded on the 17th of March this year, has marked the start of a promising Esports scene for CS2. This Major boasted 1.85m peak viewers, an average of 552k average viewers, and a total of 58k hours watched throughout the timeframe that the tournament spanned. Compared to Paris, the last major of CS:GO, Copenhagen featured approximately 320k more viewers at their respective peaks and also a 45k average viewer count increase. The Copenhagen Major continued the legacy of tournaments set by CS:GO, and its popularity managed to place itself as the third most-viewed tournament in the entire history of Counter-Strike.

Why is CS so Popular?

Ever since the release of Counter-Strike all the way back in 2000, it has been a staple in the first-person shooter genre. So what makes the CS series so popular, and how has it remained the top shooter for nearly 24 years? A combination of factors plays into what makes CS so special and what CS2 continues to perfect. First off, the premise that CS is based on is incredibly easy to understand, enticing new players to join and ever-expanding the player count. With a low skill floor but nearly infinite skill ceiling, it is up to you, the player, to dictate each round, with you and your team’s skill as the only determining factor in whether you win or lose. There are near-infinite mechanics to master, strategies to learn, and new maps to navigate, all keeping players engaged and striving to improve themselves. Whether you are a casual player or a competitive one, CS can be equally appealing, with a multitude of game modes to choose from. Another part of CS’s charm is its balanced nature, tying back to the idea that skill is the only determining factor for your team’s success. Everyone starts each game on an equal playing field: 800 dollars, and you are behind the keyboard. For the most part, all guns are balanced, and nothing feels unfair. Each round played is another skill improved, every loss a lesson to be learned, and every win a step closer to your potential. These qualities of gameplay combined with CS’s vibrant community releasing fun maps and guides to improve, the Counter-Strike genre retains its spot as one of the top shooter games of all time, and most likely for the decades to come as well.

The Future of CS2

With CS2’s near-perfect mechanical nature, there isn’t a huge need for updates in order to keep the game fresh and to keep players coming back. This doesn’t mean that updates, whether they are new operations or cases, aren’t a welcome addition for players now and then. Looking at past CS player counts, it’s no surprise that with each new update, a flux of either new or returning players hopped back on. And with word of a new update consisting of CS2’s first operation, new in-game cosmetic key chains, customizable agents, and new maps, there will no doubt be even more players joining. With the new content, there’s also a lot to reminisce about returning CS:GO maps, old and improved community servers, and even huge game modes such as Danger Zone. In short, CS2 has no plans of slowing down, and CS2 is far from dead as some people claim. With tons of untapped content to be implemented, the player count of Counter-Strike 2 will go nowhere but up.