Valve’s release of Counter-Strike 2 has left Mac owners disappointed and frustrated. While the highly anticipated free upgrade for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) was met with excitement by PC users, Mac users were left in the lurch as the upgrade broke the game and there was seemingly no macOS version available.
The release of Counter-Strike 2 on Wednesday meant that all CS:GO players, including Mac users, had to install a 26GB update. However, after installation, Mac users quickly discovered that the update made the game unplayable. Steam attempted to launch an executable file for Windows, leading to compatibility issues. Some users managed to find workarounds, but these solutions were far from ideal.
Valve’s lack of transparency regarding the macOS version of Counter-Strike 2 only added to the frustration. Mac users were not adequately warned about the incompatibility, despite the fact that many of them had invested thousands of hours and hundreds of dollars into CS:GO. The removal of the macOS symbol on Steam’s Counter-Strike product page and the limited information provided in Valve’s official FAQ left Mac users feeling disappointed and let down.
One Reddit user expressed their disappointment, stating that they had spent 6,000 hours playing CS:GO and had invested a significant amount of money into their inventory. They were dismayed at the prospect of leaving all of that behind and felt that Valve had let them down. The user also questioned Valve’s commitment to making their games available to everyone, especially considering the advancements in technology such as Apple’s powerful silicon chips and their efforts to make gaming on Mac possible.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has been one of the most popular games on macOS, with a large and dedicated community. Therefore, the lack of support from Valve for Mac users upgrading to Counter-Strike 2 is especially bewildering. Mac users had hoped for a seamless transition to the upgraded version of the game, but instead, they were left without a functioning game and no clear answers from Valve.
Some users have speculated that a Mac version of Counter-Strike 2 may be in development based on recent updates to the CS2 macOS depot. However, it is likely that any future version would rely on Rosetta 2 emulation rather than offering native support for Apple silicon. Without any official word from Valve, these speculations remain uncertain.
Counter-Strike 2, officially announced in March, brings updates to beloved maps and utilizes Valve’s in-house Source 2 engine. The game boasts sharper textures, more realistic lighting, and new geometry. Mac users had hoped to experience these improvements, but their expectations were shattered by the lack of support.
Mac users now await a response from Valve regarding the issue. They hope for a solution or at least some clarity on the matter. Until then, Mac users continue to feel disappointed and left behind while PC users enjoy the highly anticipated upgrade to Counter-Strike 2.