Created by Valve, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is considered one of the most popular multiplayer shooting games today. Since it started in 2012, it captivated the attention of many gaming enthusiasts around the world, so it is no longer surprising that it is currently one of the most popular e-sports games, along with DoTA 2, PlayerUnknown’s Battleground (PUBG), Fortnite, and League of Legends, among others. For a complete list, visit this link – Best Esports Games. 

If you are reading this article right now, there is probably one question you are asking that brought you to this short guide – how can I play CS: GO without Steam? Read on and learn from some of the valuable insights we’ll be sharing. 

What is Steam? 

The ultimate gaming platform – this is how Steam positions itself. It is not just a platform for playing, but it is also a destination for people to create games and discuss. It has a collection of over 30,000 games, and one of them is CS: GO. By having Steam, you can also enjoy automatic updates, which will ensure cybersecurity and maximum performance since you will also be enjoying the latest improved version. 

Steam has grown to become a diverse community of gamers, for gamers, and by
gamers. For instance, through the Steam workshop, you can discover mods created
by other players. 

With Game Hub, on the other hand, you can talk about the latest games and updates. There is also a chat feature that will let you connect to other members. Steam also supports over a hundred payment methods in more than 35 currencies, making it accessible in most parts of the world. 

Is CS: GO Free to Play? 

Before, anyone who would like to play CS: GO will have to go through the hassle of having to pay, which could be one factor why some people initially had second thoughts. Today, you can access the game for free at Steam. 

Those who have purchased the game before were automatically updated to premium membership. If you opt to be among their premium members, you can unlock exclusive features. To add, non-prime membership has underwhelming features that can disappoint some users. Use it only to test the game, and once you like it, updating to prime will be worth it.

You do not have to queue for non-time matching. Plus, you get access to more features, including the possibility of acquiring grand loots with valuable skins. To learn more about how skins work, check out this quick guide – CSGO Skins. 

Playing CS: GO Even Without Steam 

When playing CS: GO on Steam, there is an option for official matchmaking. In a nutshell, what this means is that you will be paired to a nearby server, and from here, you can meet other players with whom you will be playing the game.

You can meet other people, making it a lot of fun. Originally, you have no choice when it comes to who you will be playing with. But with a few tweaks, you can bypass the system and create a room that is exclusive to the people you know, providing you with better control over who you will be playing with. 

If you want to play non-Steam CS: GO, then you must be ready to go through quite a tedious process. Especially if you are a novice in the game, this can quickly become a frustrating experience, so make sure to do your research and pack a lot of patience. 

For a step-by-step guide on how you can download CS: GO without Steam in Windows, here are the things that you will need to do: 

1. Download, extract and run SteamCMD GUI.exe. 
2. Go to tools and click the Download button. 
3. After finishing the download, click the folder image and extract the file. 
4. Click the browser button and pick the folder where you would wish the save the program you are about to install. 
5. By now, you will see the Windows Configuration. Here, click the drop-down menu and clock Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. 
6. Tick the box that says Log In as Anonymous. 
7. Click the Browser button. 
8. Tick the bock that says Validate Files. 
9. Click Update/Install. 
10. At this point, you will now be seeing a command window and the downloading process will start. Depending on the speed of your internet connection, this process may take quite a while. 
11. When the process has been completed, you will see a message that says “Success! App 740 Fully-Installed,” then this means that you now have created a dedicated server for playing CS: GO. You can now click on the Run Server tab and start. 

 

If your goal is to invite other people in your server, especially those who are not Steam members, then there’s an additional step. You need to download a Steam emulator. One option is RevEmu, and below is a quick guide on how you can install it. 

1. Download RevEmu and extract the file. 
2. Proceed to the server folder and copy this – rev.ini – in the same folder where you will find srcds.exe. 
3. Download the latest RevEmu release and extract. In the SRCDS/bin folder, copy the Steam, steamclient.dll, and Steam.dll folders. You can overwrite the original folders. 
4. In the latest release of the RevEmu program, go to csgo/platform. Copy all the files. 
5. Once you are done, feel free to use the server as you would normally do when playing CS: GO. At this point, the server should be ready to accept players who do not have Steam membership. 

 

Conclusion 

Steam is the platform that hosts CS: GO. It is its servers that connect players all over the world. Even without Steam, you can play CS: GO as mentioned above.

Honestly, however, this is one thing that we do not recommend. It can be quite a hassle and there can be problems. Because CS: GO is meant to run on Steam, it is best to use the latter instead if you want the best experience when you are playing!