How does Valve make money on CS2?
Valve takes a 5% transaction fee on every Steam Marketplace skin trade plus a 10% game fee on premium-priced items. With CS2's skin economy estimated at $3-5 billion in annual transaction volume, this generates substantial revenue without requiring upfront game purchases. Valve also sells weapon-case keys ($2.50 each) and Major sticker capsules ($1 each).
What does CS2 Prime cost?
CS2 Prime status is $14.99 / €13.99 / £11.39 — a one-time upgrade that unlocks Premier matchmaking, weekly XP-based item drops, weapon-case eligibility and Trust Factor benefits. Without Prime, you can still play casual modes, Deathmatch, Wingman and Arms Race for free.
When did CS2 become free?
CS:GO went free-to-play on December 6, 2018 (with the Danger Zone update), and CS2 inherited that model when it launched on September 27, 2023 as a free in-place upgrade for every CS:GO owner.