How to Watch FACEIT Demos in CS2 (Download & Play)

You just played a FACEIT match and want to review it — but it isn't in the CS2 Watch menu, and there's no obvious file on your PC. FACEIT demos work a little differently: you download a compressed .zst archive from the match room. You can upload that archive straight to GetReplay without signing in or unpacking it, or extract the .dem if you want to watch it inside CS2.

Download the demo from the FACEIT match room

Open the match on faceit.com (or the FACEIT app), go to the match room, and click Watch Demo near the top of the page to download the demo file.

Watch it online: upload the .zst archive directly

GetReplay accepts the compressed .zst archive exactly as FACEIT downloads it. Open the replay page and upload the file — you do not need to sign in with FACEIT, create an account, or unpack the archive first.

Once it is processed, you can scrub round by round, review duels and positions, and jump to the moments that matter in a browser-based 2D replay on any device.

Want to try it first? Open the example match to see the 2D replay and match stats before uploading your own.

Watch it in CS2: extract the .dem

Only unpack the download if you want to play it inside CS2. FACEIT currently provides a .dem.zst (or .zst) archive rather than a ready-to-use .dem:

1. Right-click the downloaded archive and open it with a current version of 7-Zip or WinRAR.
2. Extract the .dem inside to …\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\game\csgo.
3. Rename it to something short, enable the developer console, and press ~.
4. Type playdemo your-demo-name, then press Shift+F2 for playback controls.

For the full walkthrough — file locations, controls, and fixes — see how to watch a CS2 demo.

Fix common FACEIT demo problems

• No "Watch Demo" button — the match is likely older than ~30 days, so FACEIT has already deleted the demo. There's no way to recover it.
• You downloaded a file you can't open — the .zst archive is expected. Upload it directly to GetReplay, or extract the .dem only if you want to use playdemo.
• playdemo won't play it — CS2 cannot play the .zst archive itself. Extract the .dem, check the developer console is on, and make sure the command matches the extracted file name.

FAQ

Where do I download a FACEIT demo? From the match room on faceit.com — click Watch Demo at the top of the match page. The match must be recent (about 30 days or newer).

How do I open a FACEIT .zst file? Upload the .zst directly to GetReplay. To watch it in CS2 instead, extract the .dem with a current version of 7-Zip or WinRAR, then play that file.

Can I watch a FACEIT demo online in the browser? Yes — upload the downloaded .zst archive directly to GetReplay. No FACEIT sign-in, account, or unpacking is required.

How long are FACEIT demos available? About 30 days. Download and back up any match you want to keep before it expires.