Gaming on Mac has come a long way, and while its game library pales in comparison to its Windows counterpart, CS:GO was one of the most popular games on Steam for Mac users. However, as the gaming community migrates to CS2, many Apple enthusiasts have found themselves wondering if they’ll be able to play the game within the Mac ecosystem. Let’s find out!
Is CS2 Supported On Mac?
While support for CS2 has been discontinued for the macOS platform, you can still play the game on your Mac using third-party apps. Before we discuss these alternate methods, let’s first look at Valve’s rationale for ending support for the game on macOS
Why Was CS2 Discontinued On macOS?
The decision to end Counter-Strike’s run on Macs was announced by Valve on a Steam Support FAQ, where they stated:
As technology advances, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue support for older hardware, including DirectX 9 and 32-bit operating systems. Similarly we will no longer support macOS. Combined, these represented less than one percent of active CS:GO players.
Valve Support
Valve will also be giving out refunds to Mac users who purchased the Prime Status Upgrade in the CS:GO days. However, you’re only eligible for a refund if:
- Most of your CS:GO playtime was on macOS.
- You played CS:GO on a Mac between March 22, 2023 (announcement of Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test) and September 27, 2023 (launch of CS2).
The refunds can be claimed until December 1, 2023.
While the refunds provide some consolation to Mac CS:GO players, many fans feel like they have been abandoned by not only Valve, but by Apple as well. This has prompted a heated discussion on Reddit, with most complaining to Apple for not adhering to the gaming industry standards.
Nevertheless, this is not the end for CS:GO on Mac, as you can still play the legacy version of CS:GO until January 1, 2024, after which Valve will officially pull the plug on CS:GO support.
How To Play CS2 On macOS Using NVIDIA GeForce Now?
GeForce Now is a cloud gaming service that allows you to stream the game directly from your web browser. Here’s how you can play CS2 using the platform:
- Visit the NVIDIA GeForce Now memberships page.
- Scroll down until you find the Choose Membership Tier options. The free version, unfortunately, only offers a 1-hour long gaming session. The paid plans, however, give you access to RTX rigs and up to 8 hours of gaming. Select the option that best suits you.
- You will now be prompted to sign into your NVIDIA account. If you don’t have one, you can simply log in with any one of your Google, Apple, Discord, or Facebook accounts.
- After entering your credentials and completing the CAPTCHA verification, press Create Account.
- Next, press Submit on the page where you are prompted to check some settings and email recommendation options.
- Click on the Download button for Mac OS.
- Once the download is complete, navigate to the download file and double-click on the NVIDIA GeForce Now setup file to begin the installation process. You don’t have to accept the EULA or choose the installation location.
- Once the installation is complete and the GeForce Now app launches, navigate to Log In → NVIDIA and enter your credentials.
- After you’ve successfully logged in, close the tab.
- Go to the GeForce Now Settings again and click on the Sync button adjacent to the Steam icon. You’ll now be redirected to your Steam account, where you can log in.
- If you get an error stating, “Your Steam Profile and Game Details must be public while syncing games”, you can follow the steps below to fix it:
- Simply click on the link provided in the error statement, which should redirect you to your Steam Privacy Settings.
- Set the Game details to Public.
- Now, head back over to GeForce Now and press the Disconnect button next to the Sync button.
- Once done, press the Sync button to successfully connect your Steam account to GeForce Now.
- You should now be able to see all your Steam game collections on your homepage, including Counter-Strike 2.
Congratulations! You can now boot up CS2 on your Mac without facing any compatibility issues.
Conclusion
While there are many other methods that allow you to hop into CS2 on your Mac, we found NVIDIA GeForce Now to be the most reliable method due to the lack of any system requirements and overcomplicated installations. If you found this guide helpful, make sure to check out these other articles on CS2 from our team: Can You Play CS2 On 128 Ticks On FACEIT? and How To Reduce Latency In Counter-Strike 2 Using NVIDIA Reflex?