Can You Play Counter-Strike 2 If You Are VAC Banned?

Valve Anti-Cheat (VAC) is a security measure by Valve to prevent cheating in its games. The bans can be imposed for using cheats or malicious programs but the anti-cheat can also flag accounts that try to use two Steam accounts on a single phone number. If you are currently VAC banned in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CSGO) here’s what you need to know about playing Counter-Strike 2. 

VAC Banned Players Will Not Receive Access to Counter-Strike 2’s Limited Beta

Valve revealed how to get into Counter-Strike 2’s Limited Beta Test and there are some rules in place that you need to be aware of. Access to the limited beta will be given out only if you have recent playtime on Valve’s official CSGO servers, have your Steam account in good standing, and do not have VAC bans on your account. 

Accounts that are currently VAC banned and do not have access to CSGO will not be getting access to Counter-Strike 2 either. VAC bans are applied when an account, or an account using the phone number tied to other accounts, connects to a VAC-secured server while running cheat software.

Valve Anti-Cheat regularly checks the game files of all users connected to Valve's servers to ensure players are not taking advantage of third-party softwares. If software of this kind is detected a VAC ban will be issued.

VAC bans cannot be appealed

VAC bans cannot be appealed. If a VAC ban is issued incorrectly it will be automatically removed after investigation, but Steam Support does not manually remove VAC bans applied to accounts for any reason.

Even if you do not use cheating software, VAC bans are applied to all accounts sharing a phone number at the time of the infraction. Accounts sharing the phone number that do not own the game the VAC ban is for, will still receive a VAC ban and will not be able to purchase the game moving forward. If you are currently VAC banned the only way to access the game is by making a new Steam account.