''Counter-Strike: Global Offensive'' (''CS:GO'') is a 2012
multiplayer
A multiplayer video game is a video game in which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time, either locally on the same computing system (couch co-op), on different computing systems via a local area network, or ...
tactical
Tactic(s) or Tactical may refer to:
* Tactic (method), a conceptual action implemented as one or more specific tasks
** Military tactics, the disposition and maneuver of units on a particular sea or battlefield
** Chess tactics
** Political tacti ...
first-person shooter
First-person shooter (FPS) is a sub-genre of shooter video games centered on gun and other weapon-based combat in a first-person perspective, with the player experiencing the action through the eyes of the protagonist and controlling the pl ...
developed by
Valve
A valve is a device or natural object that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized solids, or slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically fittings ...
and
Hidden Path Entertainment
Hidden Path Entertainment is an American video game development company based in Bellevue, Washington, United States.
History
Hidden Path was founded in 2006 by Michael Austin, Jim Garbarini, Dave McCoy, Jeff Pobst, and Mark Terrano. In 2008, ...
. It is the fourth game in the
''Counter-Strike'' series. Developed for over two years, ''Global Offensive'' was released for
OS X
macOS (; previously OS X and originally Mac OS X) is a Unix operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc. since 2001. It is the primary operating system for Apple's Mac computers. Within the market of desktop and lapt ...
,
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
,
Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
, and
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation ...
in August 2012, and for
Linux
Linux ( or ) is a family of open-source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged as a Linux distribution, which ...
in 2014. Valve still regularly updates the game, both with smaller balancing patches and larger content additions.
The game pits two teams, Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists, against each other in different objective-based game modes. The most common game modes involve the Terrorists planting a bomb while Counter-Terrorists attempt to stop them, or Counter-Terrorists attempting to rescue hostages that the Terrorists have captured. There are nine official game modes, all of which have distinct characteristics specific to that mode. The game also has
matchmaking
Matchmaking is the process of matching two or more people together, usually for the purpose of marriage, in which case the matchmaker is also known as a marriage broker. The word is also used in the context of sporting events such as boxing, in ...
support that allows players to play on dedicated Valve servers, in addition to community-hosted servers with custom maps and game modes. A
battle-royale game-mode, "Danger Zone", was introduced in late 2018.
''Global Offensive'' received positive reviews from critics on release, who praised the game for its gameplay and faithfulness to the ''Counter-Strike'' series, though it was criticized for some early features and the differences between the console and PC versions. Since its release, it has drawn in an estimated 11 million players per month and remains one of the most played games on Valve's
Steam
Steam is a substance containing water in the gas phase, and sometimes also an aerosol of liquid water droplets, or air. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization ...
platform. In December 2018, Valve transitioned the game to a
free-to-play
Free-to-play (F2P or FtP) video games are games that give players access to a significant portion of their content without paying or do not require paying to continue playing. Free-to-play is distinct from traditional commercial software, which ...
model, focusing on revenue from cosmetic items.
The game has an active
esports scene, continuing the history of international competitive play from previous games in the series. Teams compete in professional leagues and tournaments, with the game often cited as being among the best in esports.
Gameplay
''Global Offensive'', like prior games in the ''Counter-Strike'' series, is an objective-based,
multiplayer
A multiplayer video game is a video game in which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time, either locally on the same computing system (couch co-op), on different computing systems via a local area network, or ...
first-person shooter
First-person shooter (FPS) is a sub-genre of shooter video games centered on gun and other weapon-based combat in a first-person perspective, with the player experiencing the action through the eyes of the protagonist and controlling the pl ...
. Two opposing teams, the Terrorists and the Counter-Terrorists, compete in game modes to repeatedly complete objectives, such as securing a location to plant or defuse a bomb and rescuing or capturing hostages.
At the end of each short round, players are rewarded based on individual and team performance with in-game currency to spend on other weapons or utility in subsequent rounds.
Winning rounds generally rewards more money than losing does, and completing map-based objectives, including killing enemies, gives additional cash bonuses.
''Global Offensive'' has nine official game modes: Competitive, Casual, Deathmatch, Arms Race, Demolition, Wingman, Flying Scoutsman, Retakes and Danger Zone.
Competitive mode, the primary gameplay experience,
pits two teams of five players against each other in a best-of-30 match.
When playing Competitive, players have a skill rank based on a
Glicko rating system
The Glicko rating system and Glicko-2 rating system are methods of assessing a player's strength in games of skill, such as chess and Go. The Glicko rating system was invented by Mark Glickman in 1995 as an improvement on the Elo rating system, a ...
and are paired with and against other players around the same ranking.
The Casual and Deathmatch modes are less serious than Competitive mode and do not register
friendly fire
In military terminology, friendly fire or fratricide is an attack by belligerent or neutral forces on friendly troops while attempting to attack enemy/hostile targets. Examples include misidentifying the target as hostile, cross-fire while eng ...
. Both are primarily used as a practice tool.
Arms Race and Demolition, both based on
mods for previous iterations in the series, were added alongside eight new maps for the modes.
Arms Race is the ''Global Offensive'' variant of the "Gun Game" mode in other games in the series.
Demolition is another bomb defusal game mode, with gun upgrades only given to players who killed an enemy in the previous round.
Wingman is a two-on-two bomb defusal game mode taking place over sixteen rounds. Similar to Competitive, players are paired based on a dynamic skill ranking.
The Flying Scoutsman mode equips players with only a
SSG 08 (known in-game as the "Scout") and a knife in a low-gravity map. Retakes is a gamemode where three Terrorists will defend an already planted C4 against 4 Counter-Terrorists. Players will also be able to choose a loadout card at the beginning of each round to retake (or defend) the bomb site.
Danger Zone is a battle-royale mode in which up to 18 players search for weapons, equipment, and money in an effort to be the last person or team remaining. Valve also included an offline practice mode designed to help new players learn how to use guns and grenades, called the Weapons Course. Apart from the Weapons Course, all other game modes can be played online or offline with bots.
There are five categories of purchasable weaponry: rifles, submachine guns, "heavy" weaponry (light machine guns and shotguns), pistols, and grenades. Each gun in ''Global Offensive'' has a unique recoil pattern that can be controlled, a gameplay feature the series has long been associated with.
''Global Offensive'' also introduced weapons and equipment not seen in previous installments, including tasers and an incendiary grenade.
In-game
matchmaking
Matchmaking is the process of matching two or more people together, usually for the purpose of marriage, in which case the matchmaker is also known as a marriage broker. The word is also used in the context of sporting events such as boxing, in ...
is supported for all online game modes and is managed through the
Steam
Steam is a substance containing water in the gas phase, and sometimes also an aerosol of liquid water droplets, or air. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization ...
platform. The
game server
A game server (also sometimes referred to as a host) is a server (computing), server which is the authoritative source of events in a multiplayer video game. The server transmits enough data about its internal state to allow its connected Client ...
s run
Valve Anti-Cheat
Valve Anti-Cheat (VAC) is an anti-cheat software product developed by Valve as a component of the Steam platform, first released with ''Counter-Strike'' in 2002.
When the software detects a cheat on a player's system, it will ban them in the f ...
to prevent cheating. One form of matchmaking in ''Global Offensive'' to prevent cheating is Prime Matchmaking which hosts matches that can only be played with other users with the "Prime" status. This feature also results in more equal matches as there are fewer "
smurfs
''The Smurfs'' (french: Les Schtroumpfs; nl, De Smurfen) is a Belgian comic franchise centered on a fictional colony of small, blue, humanoid creatures who live in mushroom-shaped houses in the forest. ''The Smurfs'' was first created and int ...
" in these matches.
The PC version of ''Global Offensive'' also supports private
dedicated servers
A dedicated hosting service, dedicated server, or managed hosting service is a type of Internet hosting in which the client leases an entire server not shared with anyone else. This is more flexible than shared hosting, as organizations have f ...
that players may connect to through the community server menu in-game. These servers may be heavily modified and can drastically differ from the base game modes. There have been many community-made mods for the game, one of the popular ones being "kz", a
mod
Mod, MOD or mods may refer to:
Places
* Modesto City–County Airport, Stanislaus County, California, US
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Mods (band), a Norwegian rock band
* M.O.D. (Method of Destruction), a band from New York City, US ...
that makes players complete obstacle courses requiring advanced
strafing
Strafing is the military practice of attacking ground targets from low-flying aircraft using aircraft-mounted automatic weapons.
Less commonly, the term is used by extension to describe high-speed firing runs by any land or naval craft such ...
and
jumping techniques.
Development and release
''Counter-Strike: Global Offensive'' is the sequel to the popular first-person shooter ''
Counter-Strike: Source'', developed by
Valve
A valve is a device or natural object that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized solids, or slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically fittings ...
. ''Global Offensive''s development began when
Hidden Path Entertainment
Hidden Path Entertainment is an American video game development company based in Bellevue, Washington, United States.
History
Hidden Path was founded in 2006 by Michael Austin, Jim Garbarini, Dave McCoy, Jeff Pobst, and Mark Terrano. In 2008, ...
attempted to
port
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
''Counter-Strike: Source'' onto video game consoles.
During its
development
Development or developing may refer to:
Arts
*Development hell, when a project is stuck in development
*Filmmaking, development phase, including finance and budgeting
*Development (music), the process thematic material is reshaped
*Photographi ...
, Valve saw the opportunity to turn the port into a full game and expand on the predecessor's
gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and pla ...
. ''Global Offensive'' began development in March 2010, and was revealed to the public on August 12, 2011. The closed
beta
Beta (, ; uppercase , lowercase , or cursive ; grc, βῆτα, bē̂ta or ell, βήτα, víta) is the second letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 2. In Modern Greek, it represents the voiced labiod ...
started on November 30, 2011, and was initially restricted to around ten thousand people who received a key at events intended to showcase ''Global Offensive''. After issues with
client and server stability were addressed, the beta was opened up to progressively more people,
and at
E3 2012
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2012 (E3 2012) was the 18th E3 held. The event took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. It began on June 5, 2012, and ended on June 7, 2012, with 45,700 total attendees. It was ...
, Valve announced that ''Global Offensive'' would be released on August 21, 2012, with the open beta starting roughly a month before that.
Before the public beta, Valve invited professional ''Counter-Strike'' players to play-test the game and give feedback.
There were plans for
cross-platform
In computing, cross-platform software (also called multi-platform software, platform-agnostic software, or platform-independent software) is computer software that is designed to work in several computing platforms. Some cross-platform software r ...
multiplayer play between Windows, OS X, Linux, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 players, but this was ultimately dropped so that the PC and Mac versions could be actively updated. On August 21, 2012, the game was publicly released on all platforms except Linux,
which would not be released until September 23, 2014.
Since the initial release of ''Global Offensive'', Valve has continued to update the game by introducing new maps and weapons, game modes, and weapon balancing changes. One of the first major additions to the game post-release was the "Arms Deal" update. Released on August 13, 2013, the update added cosmetic weapon finishes, or
skins, to the game. These items are obtainable by a
loot box
In video games, a loot box (also called a loot crate or prize crate) is a consumable virtual item which can be redeemed to receive a randomised selection of further virtual items, or Loot (video gaming), loot, ranging from simple customization ...
mechanism; players would receive cases that could be unlocked using virtual keys, purchased through in-game
microtransactions
Microtransactions, often abbreviated as mtx, are a business model where users can purchase virtual goods with micropayments. Microtransactions are often used in free-to-play games to provide a revenue source for the developers. While microtransact ...
.
''Global Offensive'' has
Steam Workshop
Steam is a video game digital distribution service and storefront by Valve. It was launched as a software client in September 2003 as a way for Valve to provide automatic updates for their games, and expanded to distributing and offering third ...
support, allowing users to upload user-created content, such as maps, weapon skins, and custom game-modes. Some popular user-created skins are added to the game and are obtainable from unboxing them in cases. The creators of the skins are paid when their item is added to a case. These skins helped form a
virtual economy
A virtual economy (or sometimes synthetic economy) is an emergent economy existing in a virtual world, usually exchanging virtual goods in the context of an online game, particularly in massively multiplayer online games (MMOs). People enter th ...
in ''Global Offensive'', leading to the creation of gambling, betting, and trading sites. The addition of skins and the associated virtual economy launched ''Global Offensive's'' player count past the other games in the ''Counter-Strike'' series and is one of the most important updates in the game's history.
Events called "Operations" are held occasionally and can be accessed through purchasable expansion packs in the form of "operation passes." These passes grant access to operation objectives which are spread over different game modes, such as Arms Race and Deathmatch,
or in operation-specific game modes, first seen in Operation Hydra, released in May 2017.
Completing these challenges rewards the player with XP and the ability to upgrade the operation "coin." The maps in the operations are community made, meaning some of the revenue made goes towards the map designers.
An update in October 2014 added "music kits", which replace the
default in-game music with music from
soundtrack
A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...
artists commissioned by Valve. If a player with a music kit equipped becomes the round's
most valuable player
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
, their music will play for others at the end of the round. There is a feature that allows kits to be borrowed, and kits can be sold and exchanged through Steam's Community Market.
In 2016, the game saw two remakes of original ''Counter-Strike'' maps, as well as the introduction of Prime matchmaking and additional items. As a part of the Operation Wildfire promotion, Nuke was remade and re-released in February with the primary goals being to balance the map and make it more aesthetically pleasing. In April, Prime matchmaking was added to the game. To partake in this mode, the user had to have a verified phone number connected to their account. It was introduced in an attempt to prevent legitimate players from playing with cheaters or high-skilled players playing on alternative, lower ranked accounts, a practice colloquially known as "
smurfing".
Inferno, another original map, was re-released in October. Valve said they had three reasons behind the remake: "to improve visibility; to make it easier to move around in groups; and to tune it with player feedback." Also in October, consumable items called graffiti were added to the game. These items replaced a feature present in the previous iterations of the series called sprays. Previously, players could customize their sprays. Graffiti ideas can be uploaded to the Steam Workshop in the similar manner as gun skins and players can buy and trade the existing graffiti in game.
One month later, glove skins were added.
In September 2017, Valve Company worked with the publisher
Perfect World to release Global Offensive in mainland China. Chinese citizens, with their identification verified, can receive the game for free and earn Prime matchmaking status immediately. The game is played through Perfect World's launcher and contains numerous exclusive changes to the game, including the censorship of skulls and other symbols.
Some other changes were in the cosmetics in certain maps, for example, the
hammer and sickle
The hammer and sickle (Unicode: "☭") zh, s=锤子和镰刀, p=Chuízi hé liándāo or zh, s=镰刀锤子, p=Liándāo chuízi, labels=no is a symbol meant to represent proletarian solidarity, a union between agricultural and industri ...
on Cache and Train were removed.
In preparation for the release, multiple cities in China celebrated and heavily promoted its upcoming release.
Users who played the game during its launch month received free promotional cosmetics.
In compliance with Chinese law, Valve also had to disclose its
loot box
In video games, a loot box (also called a loot crate or prize crate) is a consumable virtual item which can be redeemed to receive a randomised selection of further virtual items, or Loot (video gaming), loot, ranging from simple customization ...
gambling odds.
In November 2017, an update to the competitive matchmaking was announced. Called the "Trust Factor", it meant a player's "Trust Factor" would be calculated through both in-game and Steam-wide actions. Factors such as playtime on Global Offensive, times a user has been reported for cheating, playtime on other Steam games, and other behaviors hidden by Valve are taken into consideration when a user's "Trust Factor" is developed. This was done in an attempt to let the community bond back together in matchmaking, as Prime matchmaking separated Prime and non-Prime players from each other. Valve will not let users view their "Trust Factor" or reveal all of the factors deciding one's "Trust". In August 2018, an offline version of the game was released that allows the players to play offline with bots.
An update released on December 6, 2018, made the game fully
free to play
Free-to-play (F2P or FtP) video games are games that give players access to a significant portion of their content without paying or do not require paying to continue playing. Free-to-play is distinct from traditional commercial software, which ...
. Users who had purchased the game prior to this update were automatically updated to "Prime" status and given modes that can drop cosmetic items. In addition, the new version introduced a
battle royale mode called "Danger Zone".
In November 2019, Operation Shattered Web was released. It operated similarly to the previous operations and introduced new character models and a
battle pass
In the video game industry, a battle pass is a type of monetization approach that provides additional content for a game usually through a tiered system, rewarding the player with in-game items for playing the game and completing specific chal ...
system.
In April 2020,
source code
In computing, source code, or simply code, is any collection of code, with or without comments, written using a human-readable programming language, usually as plain text. The source code of a program is specially designed to facilitate the wo ...
for 2018 versions of ''Counter-Strike: Global Offensive'' and ''
Team Fortress 2
''Team Fortress 2'' is a 2007 multiplayer first-person shooter, first-person shooter game developed and published by Valve Corporation. It is the sequel to the 1996 ''Team Fortress'' Mod (video gaming), mod for ''Quake (video game), Quake'' and ...
'' were leaked on the Internet. This created fears that malicious users would take advantage of the code to develop potential
remote code execution
In computer security, arbitrary code execution (ACE) is an attacker's ability to run any commands or code of the attacker's choice on a target machine or in a target process. An arbitrary code execution vulnerability is a security flaw in softwar ...
software and attack game servers or players' own computers. Several ongoing fan projects temporarily halted development in wake of this news until better confirmation of the impact of the leak could be determined. Valve confirmed the legitimacy of the code leaks, but stated they do not believe it impacts servers and clients running the latest official builds of either game.
In December 2020, Operation Broken Fang was released accompanied with a cinematic
trailer, the first official ''Counter-Strike: Global Offensive'' cinematic trailer in eight years since the official launch trailer.
In May 2021, a subscription service called "CS:GO 360 Stats" was released for per month. It includes access to detailed match stats from official Competitive, Premier, and Wingman game modes and the Round Win Chance report introduced in Operation Broken Fang. The update was met with a mixed response from players, with many pointing to free third-party websites that provided similar stats.
In September 2021, Operation Riptide was released, adding gameplay and matchmaking changes, new maps, and new cosmetic items.
In January 2022, an update adding
Flick Stick Flick Stick is a video game control scheme designed for gyroscopic game controllers. The Flick Stick control scheme is primarily designed for 3D shooter games with the intent of bringing the perceived advantages of mouse aiming to controllers, whil ...
support for gyroscopic game controllers was released. Flick Stick is a control scheme which lets the player quickly "flick" their view using the right analog stick, while delegating all fine aiming to gyro movements.
Gambling, third-party betting and money laundering
Following the introduction of the ''Arms Deal'' update in August 2013, skins formed a virtual economy due to their rarity and other high-value factors that influenced their desirability. Due to this, the creation of a number of skin trading sites enabled by the
Steamworks API
An application programming interface (API) is a way for two or more computer programs to communicate with each other. It is a type of software Interface (computing), interface, offering a service to other pieces of software. A document or standa ...
were created. Some of these sites began to offer gambling functionality, allowing users to bet on the outcome of professional matches with skins. In June and July 2016, two formal lawsuits were filed against these gambling sites and Valve, stating that these encourage
underage gambling and undisclosed promotion by some streamers. Valve in turn began to take steps to prevent these sites from using Steamworks for gambling purposes, and several of these sites ceased operating as a result.
In July 2018, Valve disabled the opening of containers in Belgium and the Netherlands after their
loot boxes
In video games, a loot box (also called a loot crate or prize crate) is a consumable virtual item which can be redeemed to receive a randomised selection of further virtual items, or loot, ranging from simple customization options for a player ...
appeared to violate Dutch and Belgian gambling laws.
In 2019, Valve made changes to ''Global Offensive''
's loot box mechanics due to a realization that "nearly all" of the trading on loot box keys was done by criminal organizations as a method of
money laundering
Money laundering is the process of concealing the origin of money, obtained from illicit activities such as drug trafficking, corruption, embezzlement or gambling, by converting it into a legitimate source. It is a crime in many jurisdictions ...
. Valve released a statement, saying, “In the past, most key trades we observed were between legitimate customers. However, worldwide fraud networks have recently shifted to using CS:GO keys to liquidate their gains. At this point, nearly all key purchases that end up being traded or sold on the marketplace are believed to be fraud-sourced. As a result, we have decided that newly purchased keys will not be tradeable or marketable.”
Professional competition
![MLG Columbus - Luminosity vs Navi](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/MLG_Columbus_-_Luminosity_vs_Navi.jpg)
''Global Offensive'' has one of the most popular esport scenes in the world. The ''Global Offensive'' professional scene consists of leagues and tournaments hosted by third-party organizations, and Valve-sponsored tournaments known as
Major Championships. Majors are considered the most prestigious tournaments in ''Counter-Strike'' circuit and have among the largest prize pools; originally announced at , the prize pools for Majors have risen to since
MLG Columbus 2016
MLG ''Counter-Strike: Global Offensive'' Major Championship: Columbus, also referred to as MLG Columbus 2016 was the eighth '' Counter-Strike: Global Offensive'' (''CS:GO'') Major Championship held by Major League Gaming (MLG) throughout March 2 ...
.
Astralis
Astralis is a Denmark, Danish esports organization. Best known for their ''Counter-Strike: Global Offensive'' team, they also have teams representing other games, such as ''FIFA'' and ''League of Legends''. The parent group of Astralis is the A ...
is the most successful ''Global Offensive'' team of all time, with the core members of that team winning four Majors together.
In 2014, the "first large
match fixing
In organized sports, match fixing is the act of playing or officiating a match with the intention of achieving a pre-determined result, violating the rules of the game and often the law. There are many reasons why match fixing might take place, ...
scandal"
in the ''Global Offensive'' community took place, where team iBuyPower
purposefully lost a match against NetCodeGuides.com. The seven professional players that were involved in the scandal were permanently banned from all Majors by Valve, although some other organizers eventually allowed the players to compete at their tournaments.
In 2020, the
Counter-Strike coaching bug scandal
The ''Counter-Strike'' coaching bug scandal is an ongoing bug abuse scandal in the game '' Counter-Strike: Global Offensive''. The bug had three variants, all of which allowed team coaches to see parts of the map they normally would not have acces ...
erupted, where team coaches used variants of a
bug to see parts of the map they normally would not have access to and gather information about the enemy team. As of May 5, 2022, the
Esports Integrity Commission
The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC), formerly the Esports Integrity Coalition, is a non-profit members' association established in 2016 to promote and facilitate competitive integrity in esports.
History
The organization was founded by Ian ...
announced that almost 100 coaches would be sanctioned as they neared the completion of the final investigation.
Esports organizations
Cloud9
Cloud9 Esports, Inc., or simply Cloud9 (C9), is an American professional esports company based in Santa Monica, California. The company was originally founded as a professional ''League of Legends'' team by Jack and Paullie Etienne in May 2013 ...
and
Dignitas, among others, announced plans in February 2020 to launch Flashpoint, a franchise-based league for ''Counter-Strike'', countering concerns over the state of the current promotion/relegation leagues. The league was to be owned by the teams rather than a single organization, similar to the
Overwatch League
The Overwatch League (OWL) is a professional esports league for the video game ''Overwatch'', produced by its developer, Blizzard Entertainment. The Overwatch League follows the model of other traditional North American professional sporting lea ...
.
Media coverage
As the game and the scene grew in popularity, companies, including
WME/IMG and
Turner Broadcasting
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (alternatively known as Turner Entertainment Networks from 2019 until 2022) was an American television and media conglomerate. Founded by Ted Turner and based in Atlanta, Georgia, it merged with Time Warner (lat ...
, began to televise ''Global Offensive'' professional games, with the first being
ELEAGUE Major 2017, held in the
Fox Theatre and broadcast on
US cable television network
TBS in 2016. On August 22, 2018, Turner announced their further programming of ''Global Offensive'' with ''ELEAGUE’s Esports 101: CSGO'' and ''
ELEAGUE CS:GO Premier 2018's'' docu-series on the TBS network.
Reception
''Counter-Strike: Global Offensive'' received generally positive reception from critics, according to
review aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
.
Since the game's release, ''Global Offensive'' has remained one of the most played and highest-grossing games on Steam. The game won the fan's choice "eSports Game of the Year" award at
The Game Awards 2015
The Game Awards 2015 was an award show that honored the best video games of 2015. It was produced and hosted by Geoff Keighley at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on December 3, 2015. '' The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt'' won the show's Game of the ...
.
Reviewers praised ''Global Offensive''s faithfulness to the previous game, ''
Counter-Strike: Source'', with Allistair Pinsof of ''
Destructoid
''Destructoid'' is a website that was founded as a video game-focused blog in March 2006 by Yanier Gonzalez, a Cuban-American cartoonist and author. Enthusiast Gaming acquired the website in 2017, and sold it to Gamurs Group in 2022.
History
' ...
'' rating the game very highly and saying that ''Global Offensive'' is a "polished and better looking" version of the game.
''
GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
'' writer Eric Neigher said in their review that this game stays true to its predecessors by adding much content, but tweaking small amounts and retaining their best features.
The reviewers at ''
gamesTM
''GamesTM'' (styled as ''gamesTM'') was a United Kingdom, UK-based, multi-format video games magazine, covering video game console, console, handheld game, handheld, PC game, PC and Arcade games. The first issue was released in December 2002 and t ...
'' wrote in their review that the game stood "as a glowing reminder that quality game design is rewarded in longevity and variety."
They also continued onto congratulate Valve that they had not only updated the popular game, but "had completely outclassed its contemporaries."
Martin Gaston of ''VideoGamer.com'' wrote that although he was too old to truly enjoy the game, he believed that it was a "fine installment of one of the best games ever made," and that some people will experience "what will become the definitive moments of their gaming lives."
Xav de Matos for ''
Engadget
''Engadget'' ( ) is a multilingual technology blog network with daily coverage of gadgets and consumer electronics. ''Engadget'' manages ten blogs four of which are written in English and six have international versions with independent editori ...
'' wrote that for the price, "''Global Offensive'' is a great extension to that legacy."
Mitch Dyer from ''
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' said that "''Global Offensive'' is definitely a Counter-Strike sequel – it looks and feels familiar, with minor tweaks here and there to help balance old issues and surprise longtime players."
Some of the features in the early releases of the game were criticized by reviewers. ''
GameSpy
GameSpy was an American provider of online multiplayer and matchmaking middleware for video games founded in 1996 by Mark Surfas. After the release of a multiplayer server browser for the game, QSpy, Surfas licensed the software under the GameS ...
''s Mike Sharkey did not believe that the new content added was good or that there was much of it, and said that the Elo rating system seemed ineffective with many players of various skill levels all playing at once throughout the early days of release.
Evan Lahti from ''
PC Gamer
''PC Gamer'' is a magazine and website founded in the United Kingdom in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future plc. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games ma ...
'' noted that the majority of new official maps in ''Global Offensive'' were only for Arms Race or Demolition game modes, while Classic maps were only given "smart adjustments" to minor details.
Pinsof thought that in its release state, it would not be the final version of the game.
Paul Goodman said that for long-time fans of the series, ''Global Offensive'' will start to show the game's age, expressing that he "couldn't help but feel that I had been there and done that a dozen times before."
Although reviewers liked the console versions of the game, they believed there were obvious differences between the PC and console versions. Neigher believed that due to playing with thumbsticks and shoulder buttons "you definitely won't be getting the ultimate CS:GO experience."
Ron Vorstermans for ''Gamer.nl'' said that the PC version is there to play at a higher competitive level, though he went on to say that the console versions are not inferior because of the PC's superiority for competition. Dyer wrote that the PlayStation 3 version was at an advantage to the Xbox version because of the ability to connect a keyboard and mouse to the system. He continued on to say that the user-interface on both of the consoles was as good as the PC one.
Mark Langshaw of ''
Digital Spy
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
'' opined that although the game has support for the
PlayStation Move
is a motion game controller developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Initially released in 2010 for use with the PlayStation 3 home video game console, its compatibility was later expanded to its successor, the PlayStation 4 in 2013, its Pla ...
, using it only makes the "already unforgiving game all the more challenging."
The game was nominated for "Best Spectator Game" in ''IGN''s Best of 2017 Awards, for "eSports Game of the Year" at the 2017, 2018, and 2019
Golden Joystick Awards
The Golden Joystick Awards, also known as the People's Gaming Awards, is a video game award ceremony; it awards the best video games of the year, as voted for originally by the British general public, but is now a global event that can be voted ...
, for "Best eSports Game" at
The Game Awards 2017
The Game Awards 2017 was an award show that honored the best video games of 2017, and took place at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on December 7, 2017. The event was hosted by Geoff Keighley, and was live streamed around the world across ...
,
The Game Awards 2019
The Game Awards 2019 was an award show that honored the best video games of 2019. The event was produced and hosted by Geoff Keighley, creator and producer of The Game Awards, and was held to an invited audience at the Microsoft Theater in Los ...
and
The Game Awards 2020
The Game Awards 2020 was an award show that honored the best video games of 2020. It was produced and hosted by Geoff Keighley, and took place on December 10, 2020. The preshow ceremony was hosted by Sydnee Goodman. Unlike previous Game Awards, ...
, and for "Game, eSports" at the 17th Annual National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards. In 2018, the game was nominated for "Fan Favorite eSports Game" and "Fan Favorite eSports League Format" with the Majors at the
Gamers' Choice Awards
The Gamers' Choice Awards was an award show that honored the video game industry in 2018. It was held on December 3, 2018 and broadcast on December 9, 2018 on CBS. It was the first gaming and Esports awards show to be televised on a broadcast net ...
, and for "eSports Title of the Year" at the Australian Games Awards.
References
External links
*
''Global Offensive'' at ValveSoftware.com*
{{Portal bar, Video games
2012 video games
Asymmetrical multiplayer video games
Battle royale games
Counter-Strike
Esports games
Free-to-play video games
Linux games
MacOS games
Multiplayer online games
Multiplayer video games
PlayStation 3 games
PlayStation Network games
Source (game engine) games
Tactical shooter video games
Valve Corporation games
Video game sequels
Video games about bomb disposal
Video games about police officers
Video games about the Special Air Service
Video games about terrorism
Video games about the United States Navy SEALs
Video games containing loot boxes
Video games developed in the United States
Video games scored by Kelly Bailey
Video games scored by Lennie Moore
Video games scored by Mike Morasky
Video games set in Germany
Video games set in Italy
Video games set in the Middle East
Video games set in the United States
Video games using Havok
Video games with downloadable content
Video games with Steam Workshop support
Windows games
Xbox 360 Live Arcade games
The Game Awards winners