Counter-Strike 2 has been a significant success for Valve and the esports industry as a whole in 2025. Released in September 2023 as a free-to-play title and the latest installment in the Counter-Strike series since its 1999 debut, the game has been a huge hit with players and viewers alike.
In April 2025, the game reached a peak of 1.86 million concurrent players, its highest figure to date, and was a major draw at events. Despite some updates to items causing shockwaves in the game’s gambling community, Valve is still updating the game with new cosmetics, gameplay mechanics, and more.