Counter-Strike 2 Release Date & Time

Counter-Strike 2 is definitely on the horizon. We have multiple reasons to believe that Counter-Strike 2 is launching today, on September 27th, 2023. Here is a CS2 release date and countdown timer, which helps you keep track of when Counter-Strike 2 is coming out. Several CS:GO players were not able to get into the CS2 beta test and have been eagerly waiting to try out the upgraded version. So, do keep your eyes glued to this timer and once it expires, you should be able to download and play Counter-Strike 2 right away on Steam.

CS2 Release Date and Time

There’s not a lot of time left until CS2 is released for all users on Steam. You must be wondering – how do we know Counter-Strike 2’s exact release date? And how do we know that it’s today, September 27th? Well, it’s because of several factors.

Last week, the official X (formerly Twitter) account of Counter-Strike teased the upcoming release in a post that asked everyone what they were doing next Wednesday. On this week’s Tuesday (September 26th), the account changed its header image. The new image says “Dawn of The Final Day,” which is Valve’s way of saying goodbye to the era of CS:GO. Only hours before the launch, the header image is updated to say “Dawn of A New Day,” thus, kind of confirming that the CS2 is near.

Moreover, Twitch also made a post on X that further strengthens the belief that the CS2 release date is near. Twitch has now changed the name for the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive category to simply Counter-Strike, representing the new era brought upon by the new CS2 game. Currently, both the Counter-Strike 2 limited test beta and CS:GO can be streamed under this updated category for Counter-Strike.

Well, in line with Valve’s teasers, today is Wednesday, and we have reasons to believe that Counter-Strike 2 is coming out today. Based on what we know so far, Counter-Strike 2 should be released at 10:00 AM PST on September 27, 2023 (it didn’t; see updates below).

Counter-Strike 2 Countdown Timer

Editor’s Note [10:15 AM PST] – In line with the teaser from the official Counter Strike account, which was shared at 10:00 AM PST, we expected CS2 to launch at 10:00 AM PST today, but the game doesn’t seem to be out yet. We have extended the timer (by one hour) for the time being and will update this post once Counter-Strike 2 is released.

[UPDATE | 10:37 AM PST] – The much-awaited CS2 release can happen at any moment. Even AMD has released its latest driver update with support for Counter-Strike 2, confirming today’s launch. Stick with us as we bring you hourly updates.

[UPDATE | 11:05 AM PST] – Valve is toying with the emotions of the community at this point. We are extending the timer by another hour, waiting for the release. So, stick around, and let’s wait together until Counter-Strike 2 is launched.

[UPDATE | 11:33 AM PST] – It seems like we are finally close! Counter-Strike servers went DOWN! Check out the CS server status via the link here, and you will see they are either full load or offline. The matchmaking seems to be dead on our end.

[UPDATE | 12:04 PM PST] – They are teasing us (look at this ESL tweet). We are extending the CS2 countdown by another hour, let’s keep it going until Valve releases the game.

[UPDATE | 12:30 PM PST] – Two small hints, but we might be getting close to launch. Almost every CS server, along with the CS matchmaking scheduler, is now offline. Furthermore, check out this ESL tweet, which confirms the CS:GO servers are down. It also seems like the ongoing ESL match (Complexity vs. Monte) might be the reason for the CS2 launch delay, as per many people.

[UPDATE | 01:03 PM PST] – Another hour goes by, and the game is still not out! Yet another extension, hopefully, the final one for our CS2 countdown timer. In the meantime, check out this tweet from our favorite Shroud. It’s exciting!

[UPDATE | 01:30 PM PST] – Will CS2 launch in 30 minutes? We all hope so! For now, we are watching the Complexity vs. Monte match on Twitch! They can’t use skins, knives, or other stuff due to CS:GO server issues. And Complexity is wiping the floor with Monte right now! Also, the CS server status has changed to “Unknown” for all.

[UPDATE | 01:40 PM PST] – Counter Strike 2 is now LIVE, everyone!!!!! See the official CS2 tweet right here!

So, Counter-Strike 2 is expected to come out in the next few hours, and you can keep an eye out on the countdown timer below. Being a fellow CS2 community member, I can’t contain my excitement for the release. So bookmark this page and check back to see how long we have left until the release of the CS:GO upgrade.

By the way, the Counter-Strike X handle has liked several posts recently, and one of them is by the Norwegian esports club known as Apeks which has esports teams in Valorant, Counter-Strike, and Fortnite. This post is a meme based on the popular American sitcom, The Office, dramatically representing a final goodbye to CS:GO. Valve’s Counter-Strike X account liked this post, again hinting at an imminent CS2 release.

On top of that, the renowned streaming personality Dr Disrespect recently stated in a post made on X (formerly Twitter) that Counter-Strike 2 is launching on Wednesday. According to the streamer, he has talked to insiders within the industry to confirm this detail. This post was made on Tuesday, 26th September, at 12:30 PM PST. By tomorrow, Dr Disrespect is clearly referring to Wednesday, 27th September 2023, which is the expected CS2 release date.

Counter-Strike 2 Update Install Size

On installation, Counter-Strike 2 will take up about 35GB of storage space on your storage drive. This figure is based on the current 32.7GB final installation size of CS2 beta. When I got CS2 beta access, the update itself was sized at 26.4GB and, after uncompression, it went higher. So, make sure to have a healthy amount of space on your SSD to install Counter-Strike 2 instantly when it releases.

There should be a short period of time during which Valve will begin its official transition from CS:GO to CS2. As you might know, Counter-Strike 2’s gun skin economy will essentially use the same items owned by players in the previous game but with updated visuals. Currently, while playing the CS2 limited test, I saw my gun skins and many other luxurious finishes costing hundreds of dollars, but those gun skins looked completely different in Counter-Strike 2, thanks to the Source 2 engine.

I never knew my MP7 | Army Recon skin, which is barely worth $0.05, could look so good while being sunkissed in the Source 2 lighting. Counter-Strike 2 has several new features, from improved smokes and better audio/graphics to overhauled maps and more. You can read about these new CS2 features in detail via the linked guide. Moreover, if you are curious to learn whether CS2 will replace CS:GO, find the answer right here!

Basically, CS2 should be replacing CS:GO soon, as per these details. Stay tuned for more Counter-Strike 2 content by Beebom, because we have many helpful guides coming soon, including how to optimize CS2 to get maximum FPS as well. You can check out our guide on how to show FPS in CS2. We will update this section accordingly, especially if the Counter-Strike 2 game has a different installation size than what is suggested above. The system requirements for CS2 will also be linked here when available.

In any case, this is the potential release date and time for Counter-Strike 2 globally. If there are any changes, we will surely update the post based on the latest information available online. So, stay tuned for more Counter-Strike 2 updates. What are your thoughts on Valve’s next-gen tactical FPS esports title, Counter-Strike 2? Let us know in the comments below.