How to Play CS:GO After CS2: Standalone Steam App and Legacy Version
The separate CS:GO app Valve added in March 2026, the old csgo_legacy branch, what still works, how to join servers and fix launch problems
Counter-Strike 2 replaced CS:GO in September 2023, but CS:GO never fully left Steam. For more than two years it lived as a hidden beta branch inside CS2. In March 2026 Valve gave it its own Steam app again, free and installable next to CS2.
In this guide I show both ways to get CS:GO today, what works in it (bots, LAN, community servers) and what doesn't (matchmaking, inventory), how to connect to servers and what to do if the game won't start.
Can You Still Play CS:GO After CS2?
Yes. CS:GO is a frozen build: the last version of the game with the old Source engine, maps, models and sounds. Valve doesn't update it, but you can install it and play. Here's how it got there:
- 27 September 2023
- CS2 replaces CS:GO in the same Steam app. CS:GO stays available as the hidden
csgo_legacybranch. - 1 January 2024
- Valve ends support for the legacy version. Official matchmaking is gone, no more patches, and features that need Valve's Game Coordinator, like the inventory, may stop working.
- March 2026
- CS:GO gets its own Steam app: "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive", App ID 4465480, free and unlisted.
Valve made the legacy version mostly for players on old hardware and macOS, which CS2 doesn't support. Today people use it for nostalgia, bots, LAN with friends, old workshop maps and the community servers that still run CS:GO.
How to Download CS:GO as a Separate Steam App
This is the easiest way now. The store page exists, but it's unlisted: Steam search won't show it, and the page itself says it's hidden at the publisher's request and points you to CS2. You need the direct link.
- Open the store page: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive on Steam (App ID 4465480). Log in to Steam in the browser first, so the buttons show up.
- Click Play Game or Add to Library. It's free.
- Install it from your library like any other game and launch it.
It's a separate app with its own files. CS2 stays as it is, you don't switch branches back and forth.
The store lists Windows and SteamOS / Linux, about 15 GB. On Steam Deck it's rated Playable.
Valve marked the app as not available for Steam Family Sharing, so each account adds it itself.
How to Install CS:GO Legacy Through CS2 (csgo_legacy)
The old way still works: the csgo_legacy branch is still there in the CS2 app. It turns your CS2 installation into CS:GO, so while it's selected you don't have CS2. I'd use the standalone app instead, but if you already have the branch or prefer it:
- Steam → Library → right-click Counter-Strike 2 → Properties.
- Open Betas and in Beta Participation choose
csgo_legacy - Legacy Version of CS:GO. - Wait for Steam to download the files.
- Click Play and pick Play Legacy Version of CS:GO.
To get CS2 back, set Beta Participation to None and let Steam download it again.
What Works in CS:GO Now and What Doesn't
Both ways give you the same frozen game. Valve's own words: everything works except official matchmaking, but features that depend on their Game Coordinator may break. In practice it looks like this:
| Feature | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Offline with bots | works | Practice, all old maps, training course |
| LAN and private servers | works | Host your own or join a friend's |
| Community servers | works | Through connect or the Steam server list |
| In-game server browser | broken | Use the console or Steam's server list instead |
| Official matchmaking | gone | Shut down on 1 January 2024 |
| Inventory and skins | gone | Doesn't load without the Game Coordinator |
| Updates and fixes | none | No bug fixes, no security patches |
For offline play everything you know from CS:GO still applies: bot commands, configs, binds and console commands mostly work the same way, because CS2 took a lot of them over. Just remember that CS2-only commands, like the new crosshair ones, don't exist in CS:GO.
How to Join CS:GO Community Servers
Most community servers moved to CS2, but surf, minigames, retake, deathmatch and old-school public servers still run CS:GO. The in-game browser doesn't help, so connect directly:
- Find a CS:GO server on a monitoring site, for example GameTracker, and copy its IP and port.
- Turn on the console: Settings → Game → Enable Developer Console → Yes .
- Press ~ and type:
connect 123.45.67.89:27015
Another way is the server list in the Steam client: View → Game Servers. For 5v5 with friends, people use paid hosts like PopFlash or set up their own server.
Be careful with random servers. CS:GO gets no security patches anymore, so connect to known, popular servers and keep your antivirus on. Offline and LAN are the safest way to play it.
CS:GO Not Launching? Common Problems and Fixes
CS:GO Doesn't Start or Closes Right Away
Usually broken or incomplete files, especially after switching the CS2 branch back and forth. Verify the files and remove launch options for the test:
- Steam → Library → right-click Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (or Counter-Strike 2, if you use the branch) → Properties .
- Installed Files → Verify integrity of game files.
- On the General tab clear Launch Options, then start the game.
Launch options from CS2 don't always fit CS:GO. What they do and which are useless is in my launch options guide.
Black Screen or No Window
The game runs, you hear sound, but there's no picture. Usually it's a resolution conflict or an overlay. Turn off Discord, GeForce Experience and MSI Afterburner overlays, remove launch options and start again.
Server Version Mismatch
The server runs a different build or already moved to CS2. There's nothing to fix on your side, pick a server that runs the final CS:GO build.
Conclusion
CS:GO is easier to get now than at any point since CS2 came out: one link, a free app, installed next to CS2. It's still a museum piece though. No matchmaking, no inventory, no fixes. For bots, LAN, old maps and a few loyal community servers it's perfect, for real competitive play everything moved to CS2.
If you came back to Counter-Strike after a break, start with my CS2 myths and mechanics to see what changed since CS:GO. And if you miss even older times, there's always CS 1.6.
CS:GO After CS2 FAQ
Can I download CS:GO without CS2?
Yes, since March 2026. Open the store page of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (App ID 4465480) by direct link and add it to your library. It's free.
Why can't I find CS:GO in the Steam store?
The page is unlisted, so search doesn't show it. Use the direct link: store.steampowered.com/app/4465480.
Is CS:GO free?
Yes, it's listed as free to play.
Can I play matchmaking in CS:GO?
No. Official matchmaking ended on 1 January 2024. You can play offline, on LAN and on community servers.
Do my skins work in CS:GO?
No. The inventory needs Valve's Game Coordinator, which no longer supports CS:GO, so it doesn't load.
Does CS:GO still get updates?
No. It's a frozen build without fixes or security patches.
Is the csgo_legacy branch in CS2 still there?
Yes, it's still in Betas. But the standalone app is simpler, because it doesn't replace your CS2.
Can I play CS:GO on Steam Deck or Linux?
Yes. The store lists Windows and SteamOS / Linux, and Steam Deck rates it Playable.
