Counter-Strike 2 has recorded its seventh consecutive month of decline in average player count, according to Steam Charts. Averaging 825,258 in August, September saw a slower decline, averaging 805,637 concurrent players.
With February being the last month that saw growth, CS2’s average player count has been steadily decreasing since March 2026. Having lost 278,000 players since February, the community has failed to narrow down a reason that has likely driven this fall, with a lack of updates, cheaters, and players leaving for VALORANT being cited.
April Recorded the Biggest Drop
The sharpest decline in the player count was registered in April, where the game lost over 94,000 average players, recording an 8.83% monthly decrease. For a game that boasted over a million concurrent players, the sharp decline in player count started becoming readily apparent.
Following April’s sharp decline, July continued the trend with a 7% decline in average player count despite the ongoing IEM Cologne Major. The Major in itself attracted views in the millions, but the same number failed to reflect in the CS2 average player count.
Signs of the decline in average player count were visible in peak concurrent player numbers, which also underwent a sharp decline in the same period. From a massive 1.71 million peak in March, August recorded a surprisingly low 1.33 million figure.
September Shows Signs of Stabilisation
While September recorded another decline in average player count, the rate of the same has reduced significantly, which suggests Valve has managed to stop the bleeding. Compared to an alarming 8.83% in April, September saw only an 8.83% decline, with the peak average player count recovering to 1.45 million.
Despite the decline, Counter-Strike 2 boasts an absolutely massive player base which any other Multiplayer FPS would be envious of. As the game enters its second phase of the competitive season in 2026, it will be interesting to see what steps Valve takes to improve the short-term peaks and convert them into sustained growth.
