CS2 is finally here, and tons of players have started playing it. But how many players exactly is that? Well, that’s what we’ll be taking a look at here today. Keep reading to find out how many people have CS2.
Key Takeaways
- With an estimated 31 million players as of September 2023, CS2 has emerged as a major player in the gaming industry, surpassing even popular titles like Apex Legends in average concurrent player count.
- The game’s success is not a recent phenomenon, as even in its earlier incarnation as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CSGO), it maintained a robust player count ranging from 400,000 to 700,000 over the years, showcasing the enduring appeal of the franchise.
- Unlike many games that experience a decline in player numbers shortly after launch, CS2 has exhibited resilience. Despite a significant drop from its peak in May 2023, the concurrent player count hit a low in November 2023 and has been steadily rising since, indicating sustained interest.
- CS2’s average concurrent player count of 700,000 players, with peak hours reaching 1.1 million, positions it as a standout success, even when compared to other Triple-A titles. The game reached an all-time peak concurrent player count of 1.8 million in May 2023, solidifying its status as a top-tier gaming experience.
- Despite concerns about the game’s longevity, the upward trend in concurrent player count post-November 2023 suggests a positive trajectory for CS2. Ongoing support from the developers and the community’s sustained interest contribute to a promising outlook for the game’s future.
Counter-Strike 2 Total Unique Players
Technically, the total number of players that have CS2 is essentially everyone who had CSGO in their Steam libraries since CS2 has replaced CSGO, or, in other words, CS2 is CSGO. However, that wouldn’t give us an accurate number since a lot of CSGO players have left the game and didn’t even install CS2. Plus, many CS2 players are newbies who haven’t played CSGO.
The most accurate piece of information we have on this is a Twitter post by Dataminer Aquarius, who revealed that CS2 had over 31 million unique monthly players in September 2023. While the exact method of how this number came up wasn’t shared, it does line up with the concurrent CS2 player count Steam chart. More on that in the next section.
Concurrent CS2 Player Count
The average concurrent player count for CS2 for November 2023 was around 700,000, with peak hours having an active player count of over 1.1 million and non-peak hours with 400,000 players. According to Steam charts, CS2 reached an all-time peak concurrent player count of 1.8 million players and became the most-played game in May 2023.
CS2 Player Count Comparison with Other Games
Comparing the player count of CS2 with other games, CS2 clearly stands out as a successful game since an average concurrent player count of 700,000 players is unachievable for even most Tripple A titles. For instance, Apex Legends, considered one of the most successful games, has a concurrent player count of around 200,000.
The surprising thing about the player numbers for CS2 is that it didn’t reach these numbers just recently with the launch of CS2. In fact, when the game was called CSGO or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, it still had a healthy player count of 400,000 to 700,000, depending on the year.
Is CS2 Going to Die?
As far as the player count numbers are concerned, there are no signs that would suggest that CS2 will die anytime soon. While the player count numbers for most games show a sharp decline a few months after launch, that’s the opposite with Counter-Strike.
Since launch, back when the game was called CSGO, the player count numbers for CS2 have been up. While the player numbers for CS2 dropped from the all-time peak in May 2023, and the drop is quite significant, the concurrent player count reached the bottom in November 2023, and since then, the numbers have been going back up, which is a positive sign.
Conclusion
So, the total number of players that have CS2 is somewhere around 31 million. However, that estimate was from September 2023. Unfortunately, we have no way to verify the current number. What we do have is the concurrent player count, which for the past 30 days was around 700,000.
