Valve, the renowned gaming company, has recently stopped supporting Counter-Strike 2 on Mac, citing a low user base. The company took this step after they introduced an upgrade from the initial Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, which unfortunately rendered the game unplayable on Mac.

Launching last month, Counter-Strike 2 replaced CS: GO and was intended to be an update for all users, including those on Mac. Yet, because of Valve's lack of support, this new version along with the original game became unplayable on the Mac platform. To this effect, Valve made it clear they have no plans to introduce a Mac version of Counter-Strike 2. This decision brings an end to many years of Counter-Strike presence on Mac.

Valve defended their choice in a Steam post, emphasizing Counter-Strike 2 as Counter-Strike's most significant technical advancement in its history. Valve is phasing out support for outdated hardware, such as DirectX 9 and 32-bit operating systems, alongside Mac. Combined, these factors comprise less than one percent of active CS: GO players. The company reassured that moving forward, Counter-Strike 2 will exclusively support 64-bit Windows and Linux.

In an attempt to alleviate the situation, Valve will make available a "legacy" version of CS:GO for those whose hardware cannot launch CS2. However, support for this version will conclude on the 1st of January, 2024. For those affected, Valve is offering Prime Status Upgrade refunds until December 1, 2023.

Despite the Mac player base for CS:GO being less than a percent of the total, this decision is seen as a setback for Mac gaming, particularly for those who have enjoyed CS:GO over the past decade. While Counter-Strike 2 has mixed reviews at the moment, its overall rating is very positive as reviewers from CS:GO were carried over when the original game was replaced with the sequel. Some players, however, have expressed disappointment over missing features that were previously available in CS:GO.