Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) is a multiplayer tactical first-person shooter created by Valve and Hidden Path Entertainment. It is the fourth game in the Counter-Strike series. The game was developed for over two years and released for OS X, PlayStation 3, Windows, and Xbox 360 in August 2012. It was later released for Linux in 2014. In December 2018, Valve changed the game to a free-to-play model, earning money through cosmetic items instead of selling the game outright.
In the game, two teams—Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists—compete in objective-based modes. Common modes include Terrorists planting a bomb while Counter-Terrorists stop them, or Counter-Terrorists rescuing hostages taken by Terrorists. There are nine official game modes, each with unique rules and goals. The game supports matchmaking, allowing players to join servers hosted by Valve or by the community, which may include custom maps and modes. A battle-royale mode called "Danger Zone" was added in late 2018.
At its release, the game received mostly positive reviews from critics, who praised its gameplay and loyalty to the Counter-Strike series. Some critics noted issues with early features and differences between console and PC versions. Since its release, the game has attracted about 11 million monthly players and remains one of the most played games on Steam. It has a strong esports scene, with professional teams competing in leagues and tournaments, continuing the competitive tradition of earlier Counter-Strike games.
In March 2023, Valve announced Counter-Strike 2, an updated version using the Source 2 engine. It was released in September 2023. Official matchmaking for CS:GO ended with the update, but players can still join community servers. The game remains playable on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
Gameplay
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a multiplayer first-person shooter game where two teams, the Terrorists and the Counter-Terrorists, compete to complete objectives. These objectives include planting or defusing a bomb and rescuing or capturing hostages. After each short round, players earn in-game currency based on their performance. Winning rounds and completing tasks, such as killing enemies, earn more money. This currency can be used to buy weapons or tools for future rounds.
The game has nine official game modes: Competitive, Casual, Deathmatch, Arms Race, Demolition, Wingman, Flying Scoutsman, Retakes, and Danger Zone. Competitive mode is the main way to play, with two teams of five players competing in a best-of-30 match. Players are matched with others of similar skill using a rating system. Casual and Deathmatch modes are less serious and do not track friendly fire. They are used for practice. Arms Race and Demolition are based on earlier game versions and include eight new maps. Arms Race is similar to a "Gun Game" mode from other games, while Demolition gives players upgrades only if they kill an enemy in the previous round. Wingman is a two-on-two bomb defusal mode played over sixteen rounds, with players matched by skill. Flying Scoutsman uses a low-gravity map and limits players to a SSG 08 (commonly called the "Scout") and a knife. Retakes involves three Terrorists defending a planted bomb against four Counter-Terrorists, with players choosing a loadout card each round. Danger Zone is a battle-royale mode where up to 18 players compete to be the last remaining. A practice mode called the Weapons Course helps new players learn to use guns and grenades. Except for the Weapons Course and Danger Zone, all other modes can be played online or offline with bots.
Players can purchase weapons in five categories: rifles, submachine guns, heavy weapons (light machine guns and shotguns), pistols, and grenades. Each weapon has a unique recoil pattern, a feature the series is known for. The game also includes new weapons and equipment, such as tasers and incendiary grenades.
Online matchmaking is available for all game modes and is managed through the Steam platform. Game servers use Valve Anti-Cheat to prevent cheating. Prime Matchmaking is a system that limits matches to players with a "Prime" status, reducing cheating and creating more balanced games. The PC version supports private servers, which can be customized and differ from standard game modes. Community-created mods, such as Kreedz Climbing, add new challenges, like obstacle courses requiring advanced movement skills.
Development and release
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is the sequel to the popular first-person shooter game Counter-Strike: Source, developed by Valve. The development of Global Offensive began when Hidden Path Entertainment tried to adapt Counter-Strike: Source for video game consoles. During this process, Valve saw an opportunity to create a full game and improve upon the original's gameplay. Development started in March 2010, and the game was officially announced on August 12, 2011. A closed beta began on November 30, 2011, and was limited to about 10,000 people who received keys at special events. After fixing stability issues, the beta expanded to more players, and at E3 2012, Valve announced the game would release on August 21, 2012, with the open beta starting about a month earlier. Before the public beta, professional Counter-Strike players were invited to test the game and provide feedback.
Plans for cross-platform multiplayer between Windows, OS X, Linux, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 were made but later canceled so that PC and Mac versions could be updated regularly. The game was released on August 21, 2012, on all platforms except Linux, which was released later on September 23, 2014.
Since its release, Valve has added new maps, weapons, game modes, and balanced weapon mechanics. One major update, called "Arms Deal," was released on August 13, 2013. This update introduced cosmetic weapon finishes, or skins, which players could obtain through a system called "loot boxes." Players received cases that could be unlocked with virtual keys purchased through in-game purchases. The game supports Steam Workshop, allowing users to share user-created content like maps, weapon skins, and custom game modes. Some popular user-created skins are added to the game and can be obtained by opening cases. Skin creators are paid when their items are included in cases. These skins helped create a virtual economy, leading to the development of gambling, betting, and trading sites. The addition of skins and the virtual economy increased the game's player count beyond other Counter-Strike games and became one of the most important updates in the game's history.
Occasionally, events called "Operations" are held and accessed through purchasable expansion packs called "operation passes." These passes give players access to challenges across different game modes, such as Arms Race and Deathmatch, or in new, operation-specific modes first introduced in Operation Hydra in May 2017. Completing challenges rewards players with experience points and the ability to upgrade an operation "coin." The maps in these operations are created by the community, and some of the revenue from these maps goes to the map designers.
An update in October 2014 added "music kits," which replace the default in-game music with music from artists commissioned by Valve. If a player with a music kit equipped becomes the most valuable player of a round, their music will play for others at the end of the round. Players can borrow, sell, or trade music kits through Steam's Community Market.
In 2016, the game saw two remakes of original Counter-Strike maps, the introduction of Prime matchmaking, and new items. As part of the Operation Wildfire promotion, the map Nuke was remade and released in February 2016 to balance the map and improve its appearance. In April 2016, Prime matchmaking was added. To join this mode, players needed a verified phone number linked to their account. This was done to prevent cheaters or high-skilled players from using alternate accounts, a practice known as "smurfing." Another original map, Inferno, was remade in October 2016. Valve stated the reasons for the remake were to improve visibility, make movement easier in groups, and adjust the map based on player feedback. In October 2016, consumable items called graffiti were added to replace a feature called "sprays" from earlier versions. Graffiti designs can be uploaded to Steam Workshop, and players can buy and trade existing graffiti in the game. One month later, glove skins were added.
In September 2017, Valve partnered with Perfect World to release Global Offensive in mainland China. Verified Chinese citizens could receive the game for free and gain Prime matchmaking status immediately. The game is played through Perfect World's launcher and includes changes such as the censorship of skulls and other symbols. For example, the hammer and sickle on certain maps were removed. In preparation for the release, cities in China celebrated and promoted the game. Players who joined during the launch month received free promotional cosmetics. To comply with Chinese law, Valve also shared the odds of obtaining items through loot boxes.
In November 2017, an update to competitive matchmaking called "Trust Factor" was introduced. This system calculates a player's "Trust Factor" based on in-game and Steam-wide actions, such as playtime on Global Offensive, reports for cheating, and other behaviors. This was done to help rebuild community trust in matchmaking, as Prime matchmaking had separated Prime and non-Prime players. Valve does not allow players to view their "Trust Factor" or see all the factors that influence it. In August 2018, an offline version of the game was released, allowing players to play with bots without an internet connection.
An update on December 6, 2018, made the game free to play. Players who had previously purchased the game were automatically upgraded to "Prime" status and received access to modes that can drop cosmetic items. The update also introduced a battle royale mode called "Danger Zone" and a new interface called "Panorama," replacing the older "Scaleform Interface."
In November 2019, Operation Shattered Web was released. It introduced new character models and a battle pass system similar to previous operations.
In April 2020, the source code for the 2018 versions of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Team Fortress 2 was leaked online. This raised concerns about potential security risks, such as malicious users creating software to attack game servers or players' computers. Some fan projects paused development until more information about the leak's impact was available. Valve confirmed the leaks were real but stated they do not believe they affect servers or clients running the latest official versions of the games.
In December 2020, Operation Broken Fang was released with a cinematic trailer, the first official Counter-Strike: Global Offensive trailer in eight years.
In May 2021, a subscription service called "CS:GO 360
Professional competition
Counter-Strike is one of the most popular esports games in the world. In the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive professional scene, competitions include leagues and tournaments organized by third-party groups. Valve, the game’s developer, also hosts tournaments called Major Championships. Majors are the most important tournaments in the Counter-Strike circuit and have the largest prize money. The prize pools for Majors started at $250,000 and increased to $1,000,000 after the MLG Columbus 2016 event. Astralis was the most successful Counter-Strike: Global Offensive team ever, with its core members winning four Majors together. Professional Counter-Strike esports are now played in Counter-Strike 2.
In 2014, the first major match-fixing scandal in the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive community occurred. The team iBuyPower intentionally lost a match against NetCodeGuides.com. Seven professional players involved in the scandal were permanently banned from all Majors by Valve. However, some tournament organizers later allowed these players to compete in their events.
In 2020, a scandal involving coaches in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive emerged. Coaches used a bug in the game to see parts of the map they should not have accessed, allowing them to gather information about enemy teams. As of May 5, 2022, the Esports Integrity Commission announced that nearly 100 coaches would be punished after completing their final investigation into the issue.
As Counter-Strike grew in popularity, media companies such as WME/IMG and Turner Broadcasting began broadcasting Counter-Strike: Global Offensive esports. The first major television rights deal involved the ELEAGUE Major 2017, which took place at the Fox Theatre and was shown on the U.S. cable network TBS in 2016. On August 22, 2018, Turner announced plans to continue broadcasting Counter-Strike: Global Offensive content, including the ELEAGUE Esports 101: CSGO series and the ELEAGUE CS:GO Premier 2018 documentary series, both on the TBS network.
Reception
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive received mostly good reviews from critics, according to Metacritic. Since its release, Global Offensive has been one of the most played and highest-selling games on Steam. The game has stayed popular over time, reaching a new record of 1.4 million players online at the same time in March 2023, beating the previous record of 1.3 million in April 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reviewers praised Global Offensive for staying true to the earlier version, Counter-Strike: Source. Allistair Pinsof of Destructoid gave the game high praise, calling it a "polished and better looking" version of the game. Eric Neigher of GameSpot said the game kept the best parts of its earlier versions while adding new content and making small changes. gamesTM reviewers wrote that the game showed how good game design can lead to long-term success and variety. They also said Valve did a great job updating the game and making it better than other games at the time. Martin Gaston of VideoGamer.com said, even though he was too old to enjoy the game fully, he believed it was a "fine installment" of one of the best games ever made. Xav de Matos of Engadget said the game was a good addition to the series for the price. Mitch Dyer of IGN said the game felt familiar to fans of Counter-Strike, with small changes to help balance issues and surprise longtime players.
Some early features of the game were criticized. Mike Sharkey of GameSpy said the new content was not good or enough, and the Elo rating system did not work well when players of different skill levels played together. Evan Lahti of PC Gamer noted that most new maps were only for specific game modes, while older maps had only small changes. Pinsof thought the game would need more updates before it was complete. Paul Goodman said longtime fans might find the game felt old, as if they had already played it many times before.
Reviewers liked the console versions of the game but noted differences between the PC and console versions. Neigher said the PC version offered the best experience because of the use of a mouse and keyboard. Ron Vorstermans of Gamer.nl said the PC version is better for competitive play, but the console versions were not worse because of that. Dyer said the PlayStation 3 version had an advantage over the Xbox version because it allowed players to use a keyboard and mouse. He also said the user interface on both consoles was as good as the PC version. Mark Langshaw of Digital Spy said using the PlayStation Move controller made the game even more challenging.
The game was nominated for "Best Spectator Game" in IGN's Best of 2017 Awards and for "eSports Game of the Year" at the 2017, 2018, and 2019 Golden Joystick Awards. It won the fan-voted "eSports Game of the Year" award at The Game Awards 2015. The game was also nominated for "Best Esports Game" at The Game Awards in 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, 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" for the Majors at the Gamers' Choice Awards, and for "eSports Title of the Year" at the Australian Games Awards.