If you’re trying to launch Counter-Strike 2 Beta through Steam and encounter a fatal launcher error stating: “Failed to connect with local Steam client process,” don’t worry—there’s a simple fix.
A quick Google search might tell you to repair the Steam service, but in this particular case, that won’t help. The real issue is that Counter-Strike 2’s executable (cs2.exe) has the “Run as administrator” option enabled in its compatibility settings.
On a properly functioning Windows system, no Steam game should require administrative privileges to run. If you’re consistently forced to enable this setting, it could indicate a deeper issue with your Windows installation—possibly requiring a full clean install via a USB drive.
For this specific error, the solution is simple: disable the “Run as administrator” setting for cs2.exe and then try launching the game again. It should work without any issues. This fix isn’t exclusive to Counter-Strike 2—it should work for other Steam games experiencing the same error as well.