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How To Access The Counter-Strike 2 Beta Limited Test

The first beta of Counter-Strike 2 kicks off this week.

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Counter-Strike 2 has been officially revealed by Valve, and Valve is currently running a beta, or "limited test," for the game as we near its Summer 2023 release. This test features a few different game modes and gives players an opportunity to try out the game and see how it has changed from Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. There is not currently a set date for when it will end, but you will be able to keep all your weapon finishes, stickers, and other inventory items from Global Offensive.

How to gain access to the Counter-Strike 2 limited test

For the limited test, Valve says that a number of factors deemed important by the Counter-Strike 2 development team will influence who gets into the early preview of the sequel. Your recent playtime on Valve official servers, trust factor, and Steam account standing will all play a crucial role in determining if you'll make the cut, and if you're chosen, you'll receive a notification on the main menu of CS:GO.

More players will be added to the limited test over time, so if you don't qualify for the first round of invites, check back regularly on the CS:GO main menu to see if you have received an invitation.

How to play the Counter-Strike 2 limited test

Once you've got your invite, select "ENROLL" and begin your download. Once the download is complete, select the "Limited Test" option to play.

Counter-Strike 2 limited test features

For this first round, Valve says that Deathmatch and Unranked Competitive matchmaking on the Dust2 map will be offered, and future limited test releases will offer other game modes, maps, and features. Experience points earned in the limited test counts will carry over to CS:GO, and Valve says that players will be able to stream and make videos about their experience.

Counter-Strike 2 is expected to ship Summer 2023 and will be available as a free upgrade to CS:GO. With the game officially revealed, Valve has shown off more technical details about the sequel, including realistic smoke grenades, an evolved tick rate, and overhauled maps that have been fully rebuilt from the ground up using new Source 2 tools and rendering features.

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