Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) is one of the most popular first-person shooters on Windows and has been since 2023. In this article, we’ll explain whether you can play CS2 on Mac. We’ll go into detail so that you can get started and play this brilliant game.
What is CS2?
Counter-Strike 2 is a free-to-play tactical first-person shooter developed by Valve. Released in 2023, it’s the follow-up to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. You play as part of one of two teams: Terrorist or counter-terrorist. And you take part in objective-based game modes.
Is there a macOS-native version of CS2?
No, there is no macOS version of CS2. Valve decided not to release it for Mac after being disappointed with the low percentage of Global Offensive players who played on Mac. The decision caused lots of complaints from Mac users but, so far and despite the Mac being a much more capable games platform than it was in 2012 when Global Offensive was released, Valve hasn’t relented.
Can I play CS2 on Mac?
Yes, you can. There are a few ways to play CS2 on Mac:
- If you have an Intel-based Mac, you can create a Boot Camp partition and install Windows on that.
- You can use a compatibility layer like CrossOver and install CS2 with that.
- Virtualization tools like Parallels Desktop can also be used to play CS2.
- You can run Boosteroid.
How to play CS2 on Mac
1. Boot Camp
If you have an Intel-based Mac, you can use Boot Camp Assistant (in Applications > Utilities) to create a partition on your startup disk onto which you can install Windows. You’ll need to supply your own copy of Windows, but Boot Camp Assistant will walk you through the process of installing it. You can then visit Valve’s website and download CS2.
2. Compatibility layer
If you have a Mac with Apple silicon, the simplest way to play CS2 locally is to use a compatibility layer. One of the most popular is CrossOver. Follow the steps below to install it and download CS2:
- Go to Codeweavers’ website and download CrossOver. You’ll need to pay for the full version, but there is a free trial available.
- Drag CrossOver to your Applications folder and open it. At the bottom left of the window, click Install.
- Click Counter-Strike 2. If you don’t see it in the main window, search for it.
- Download Counter-Strike 2 on Steam and quit it.
- Go to CrossOver’s settings and enable D3DMetal and MSync for the Steam app.
- Open Steam and then launch Counter-Strike 2 and start playing.
3. Virtualization tools
The third way to play CS2 on your Mac is to use a virtualization tool like Parallels Desktop. If you already have Parallels Desktop installed on your Mac, this is the most cost-effective method. However, it may be a little slower than the other two. All you need to do is open a web browser in Parallels Desktop or whatever virtualization tool you’re using and download Steam. Then, use Steam to download and play CS2.
4. Cloud gaming service
If you don’t want to install any extra software, you can use a cloud gaming service like Boosteroid which allows you to ‘rent’ a PC online on which you can play CS2.
To play CS2 using Boosteroid, head over to boosteroid.com, sign up, and get started playing.
How to boost your Mac’s performance when playing CS2
Playing CS2 on your Mac is even more demanding than playing Mac-native games because of the extra layer needed to make it compatible. So, it’s very important that you do everything you can to make sure your Mac is running as speedily and as smoothly as possible.
The easiest way to do that is to use the Performance feature in CleanMyMac. It scans your Mac and comes up with a list of tasks to run like the following ones:
- Repairing disk permissions
- Thinning out Time Machine snapshots
- Flushing DNS cache
- Reindexing Spotlight
- Freeing purgeable space
You can also use it to review login and background items, in case there are unnecessary ones running and slowing down your Mac. You can choose which tasks to run with one click. Get your free CleanMyMac trial. Then, open the app and click Performance > Scan > Run Tasks.
Can you play CS2 on Mac? Yes. But not directly. Valve hasn’t released a macOS version, and it doesn’t look like it will. However, there are a few other ways you can play it on your Mac, like using a compatibility layer like CrossOver or a cloud gaming service like Boosteroid. Choose the method that works best for you and have fun!
