Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Videos
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
    • G+RLS Podcast
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • Home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Videos
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
    • G+RLS Podcast
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Golden Joystick Awards 2026
  • Deal of the Day
  • G+RLS Podcast
  • Countdown to GTA 6
  • Join our monthly RPG Club
  • Game of the Week
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
  • RPG Hub
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. FPS Games
  3. Counter-Strike 2

CS:GO players spent literal days farming hours for CS2 beta keys, now Valve says it doesn't count

News
By Jordan Gerblick
Published 27 March 2023

"The playtime that counts was your playtime prior to the start of the Limited Test"

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

A CS:GO player points his gun towards the screen
(Image credit: Valve)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

Valve has confirmed that idling in CS:GO isn't going to increase your chances of getting into the Counter Strike 2 beta.

For the uninitiated, last week Valve announced Counter Strike 2 alongside a limited beta that started immediately. Several factors play into your chances of being sent an invite, and your "recent playtime on Valve official servers" is a big one. Of course, that resulted in many CS:GO players simply idling in an effort to boost their playtime and snag themselves a beta key, but Valve has now revealed that you're not doing yourself any favors with this method. In fact, nothing you're doing on Valve's servers counts toward your eligibility for the beta.

"PSA: Idling on official matchmaking servers in CS:GO does not increase your chances of making into the CS2 Limited Test," reads a tweet from the official Counter Strike Twitter account. "The playtime that counts was your playtime prior to the start of the Limited Test."

Latest Videos FromGamesRadar+
Watch full video here:

That, needless to say, sucks for everyone who's been feverishly racking up time in CS:GO hoping to get into the Counter Strike 2 beta. But that's fine: everyone's being super chill about the whole situation and no one seems all that bothered at all.

Kidding:

You may like
  • Counter-Strike 2 release trailer screenshot showing an old-style white desktop PC running the Counter-Strike menu atop a wooden desk Counter-Strike 2 update adds 3v3 mode, music, and chicken eggs, but fans want "better anti-cheat"
  • Team Fortress 2 Scout in a hat and headset smiling Valve devs "can't believe we get away" with such small updates for Team Fortress 2, ex-writer says
  • Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 reveal trailer screenshot shows a figure wearing a mask with a skull design. Modern Warfare 4 beta hasn't started, but Call of Duty devs are already responding to fans over SBMM

you're telling me I just played 8 hours of Arms Race for nothing??? pic.twitter.com/EkuI0KKXouMarch 27, 2023

wtf... pic.twitter.com/gHqRdvskQKMarch 27, 2023

You’re telling me my 50 Danger Zone hours in the last 4 days doesn’t count….March 27, 2023

Me realizing i wasted 4 hours to get global in Wingman pic.twitter.com/LdVMyz9pW5March 27, 2023

CS2 Twitter to idlers: pic.twitter.com/A2yOIdQ5IHMarch 27, 2023

The only thing that might soothe the sting here is a reminder that yes, after all this time, Counter Strike 2 is real and it's due out this Summer. There's also a more open beta soon to be revealed, so we'll keep y'all updated on that when we know more. For now, and I mean this with love, there just might be some grass outside that needs touching.

Here's the only proper way to access the Counter Strike 2 Limited Test.

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
PC Gaming Platforms
Jordan Gerblick
Jordan Gerblick
Social Links Navigation
Staff Writer

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.

Read more
Counter-Strike 2 release trailer screenshot showing an old-style white desktop PC running the Counter-Strike menu atop a wooden desk
FPS Games Counter-Strike 2 update adds 3v3 mode, music, and chicken eggs, but fans want "better anti-cheat"
 
 
Team Fortress 2 Scout in a hat and headset smiling
FPS Games Valve devs "can't believe we get away" with such small updates for Team Fortress 2, ex-writer says
 
 
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 reveal trailer screenshot shows a figure wearing a mask with a skull design.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 beta hasn't started, but Call of Duty devs are already responding to fans over SBMM
 
 
Lucia looks over her shoulder from the driving seat of a car, from the GTA 6 extended look
Games Amid PS5 Pro shortage, Sony implements a lottery system in Japan that requires 60 hours of playtime
 
 
Deadlock
Third Person Shooters Deadlock smashes Steam record following new update with over 228,000 concurrent players
 
 
Games Former Valve writer says "giant teams" don't work in video game dev, unless you're making GTA 6
 
 
Latest in FPS Games
MW4 mastery camos
Call of Duty All Modern Warfare 4 mastery camos for multiplayer, Warzone, and DMZ
 
 
Halo: Campaign Evolved
Halo Veteran Halo lead has suggestions for Activision, and they include hiring "laid off folks"
 
 
A helicopter of soldiers flies above a forest in Wardogs
FPS Games Wardogs boss says balance is always guesswork and "we won't even get it right" by season 2
 
 
Wardogs character points weapon at the camera
FPS Games As Wardogs sells 3 million copies, lead admits the devs are "overwhelmed," taking forced holidays
 
 
Quake Champions
FPS Games 4 years after full launch, Quake Champions is a paid game on Steam with no microtransactions
 
 
A screenshot of the upcoming PC game, wardogs
FPS Games Wardogs boss says "games need to cost more" and GTA 6 should've been the game to make the change
 
 
Latest in News
DIablo 4's Inarius close to smiting down a foe
Diablo A broken Diablo 4 charm is dominating Season 15, but the devs have "decided not to make changes"
 
 
Castlevania: Belmont's Curse key art showing a striking image of Rose Belmont with an arm covered in red raised holding a weapon, with a textured background
Action Games Castlevania: Belmont's Curse still isn't getting a native Switch 2 version, but at least it runs at 60fps on the console
 
 
The Elder Scrolls Online
The Elder Scrolls The Elder Scrolls Online to undergo "renaissance" as devs change what's "been going for 12 years"
 
 
Riftbound: Radiance TCG card art of Jarvan IV cropped to just his head
Tabletop Gaming Exclusive Riftbound card reveals feature a princely League of Legends champion all about gear
 
 
Dogmeat
Fallout Fallout 5 being set outside the United States "could be amazing," former Skyrim lead says
 
 
Zack Fair, with spiked black hair and a cross-shaped scar on his cheek, broods in Final Fantasy 7 Revelation
Final Fantasy Final Fantasy 7 Revelation battle lead doesn't know the best way to balance real-time and turn-based
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. "Games haven't stood still," after all
    1
    The Elder Scrolls Online to undergo "renaissance" as devs change what's "been going for 12 years"
  2. 2
    A broken Diablo 4 charm is dominating Season 15, but the devs have "decided not to make changes"
  3. 3
    Castlevania: Belmont's Curse still isn't getting a native Switch 2 version, but at least it runs at 60fps on the console
  4. 4
    Final Fantasy 7 Revelation battle lead doesn't know the best way to balance real-time and turn-based
  5. 5
    In an utterly pointless-seeming move, Intel just published a patent for RGB-lit CPUs

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...