# Do people still play CS:GO?

> CS:GO itself was replaced by Counter-Strike 2 in 2023, and CS2 is one of the most-played games on Steam, so the CS:GO community moved to CS2.

Not really, because CS:GO no longer exists as the main game. In September 2023 Valve replaced Counter-Strike: Global Offensive with Counter-Strike 2, which uses the Source 2 engine and took over CS:GO's spot on Steam. Players, skins and the pro scene all moved to CS2, and it remains one of the most-played games on Steam, often at the top of the concurrent player charts.

## What happened to CS:GO

- **CS2 replaced it in place.** If you owned CS:GO, you got CS2 automatically in the same Steam library entry.
- **Inventories carried over.** Skins, stickers and other items from CS:GO work in CS2.
- **Old version is not for matchmaking.** Valve briefly kept a legacy CS:GO version for older hardware, but it has no official matchmaking, so CS:GO is effectively retired.
- **Esports moved to CS2.** Major tournaments are played in CS2.

## Why Counter-Strike stays popular

- **Simple rules, deep skill.** Round-based bomb defusal with precise gunplay rewards practice for years.
- **Free to play.** CS:GO became free in 2018, and CS2 kept that model.
- **Esports.** It is one of the biggest esports games, alongside League of Legends and Dota 2.
- **Skins economy.** Cosmetic items and the Steam Community Market keep players invested.
- **Community.** Community servers, workshop maps and long-running traditions.

## FAQ

**Is Counter-Strike dying?**
No. CS2 regularly reaches player numbers that only a few games on Steam match.

**Can you still play older Counter-Strike games?**
Yes. Counter-Strike 1.6 and Counter-Strike: Source are still sold on Steam and have active community servers.

**Is Valorant or Counter-Strike more popular?**
Both are huge. Counter-Strike leads on Steam, while Valorant, which runs on Riot's own launcher, is especially strong in some regions and with younger players.

**Why is CS 1.6 still popular?**
Nostalgia, low system requirements and a strong community, especially in regions where it was a LAN-cafe staple.

**Who is the greatest CS:GO player of all time?**
Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev is the most common answer, with Nicolai "dev1ce" Reedtz and others also in the conversation.

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https://gamevoyages.com/do-people-still-play-counter-strike-global-offensive/ · Game Voyage · Checked 2026-10-30