If you have an account on Steam, there’s almost no way that you didn’t get the message that Counter-Strike is going free to play. It’s true, Counter Strike is free to play for anyone who owns a Steam account, however, the free-to-play version includes some limitations for the players.

So, is Counter Strike free to play or not? Here at OPmarket we are ready to answer all of your questions!

As always, if you want to buy CS2 (CS:GO) skins and upgrade your loadout, be sure to visit OPmarket, where you can get the best deals possible!

Can I play Counter Strike 2 Games For Free?

In short, yes, anyone who owns a Steam account can play Counter Strike 2 for free. With the free version of the game, players can play all Counter Strike game modes, besides the ranked mode, and even earn free CS2 (CS:GO) skins. This means that you can also sell CS2 (CS:GO) skins and make money on Counter Strike.

You can play with other players on all the maps, earn weapon finishes for your favorite guns, and have fun in the game without paying a single dollar. Counter Strike 2 is free to play, and if you have a Staem account you can download the game today and enjoy the classic Counter Strike shooting without spending money. You can also trade CS2 (CS:GO) with the free version as well.

While you can enjoy the game without paying, the free-to-play version won’t let you enjoy the game to its full capabilities. If you want to play ranked Counter Strike 2 matches, you’ll need to purchase the prime upgrade.

What Is CS2 Prime?

Like in CS:GO, Counter Strike 2 requires players to purchase a Prime account. Prime is the paid version of CS2, which can be purchased at the Steam game store for around $15. This feature was introduced to curb smurfing and cheating in the CS2 ranked mode. The $15 fee prevents smurfs and cheaters from creating throwaway accounts to play ranked, essentially kicking them out to free matchmaking.

Although you can play Counter Strike 2 completely free, if you want to enable ranked matchmaking in CS2, you’ll need to purchase the Prime upgrade. CS2 Prime can be purchased like any other Steam game in the store. Suppose you already have the free version of Counter Strike 2 in your Steam library, when you purchase the Prime upgrade. In that case, your account will automatically be updated to the Prime status and you’ll get access to ranked matchmaking.

Also, it’s worth noting, that if you already purchased CS:GO before it went free-to-play, or upgraded your free CS:GO account to Prime status, you will automatically receive CS2 Prime for the new Counter Strike version. You don’t have to purchase Prime again for Counter Strike 2.

How To Enable CS2 Ranked Mode?

In the past, if you wanted to play CS:GO ranked mode, you’d first have to reach level 21 by playing online matches. Once you hit 21, you can play a number of placement matches over a couple of days, which would decide your final standing in the CS:GO ranked mode. Although this was intended as a deterrence to smurfs, botters, and cheaters, it wasn’t enough. Smurfing in particular was rampant, and the Prime status was introduced to stop that.

In CS2 enabling ranked mode is much simpler and quicker. You only have to do two things: purchase CS2 Prime and connect your mobile phone number to your Steam account. Although many players have complained that this feature infringes on player’s privacy, it has greatly improved the ranked gameplay by curbing bots and smurfs. Although smurfing isn’t completely impossible, it has been made much more difficult, significantly reducing the number of smurfs in ranked mode.

In Conclusion

When it comes to the Prime status, not much has changed in CS2. You still have to make the $15 purchase from the Steam store to enjoy ranked mode in CS2. Still, the $15 are a low price to enjoy virtually smurf-free matchmaking, so if you want to fully experience CS2, be sure to get the Prime status for your account! Also, if you want to sell CS2 (CS:GO) items, be sure to visit OPmarket, where you can always get the best deals possible!